Secrets
by glitters and gold
Summary: Born and trained Roman, sent to fight as a Greek. He lied to both sides; old friends believe him dead and new friends believe him to be Greek. As the Titan War reaches its climax and the truth comes out, one question remains: who really is Percy Jackson?
1. New Recruits

**Notes1: **This is about the fourth (fifth?) time I've redone this prologue? It's just that my writing style has changed (a lot) since I started this story. It needed to be done. My apologies.

**Notes2: **I'm still dead set on calling this a prologue, despite the fact that it throws off the chapter count for the entire rest of the story. Le shrug.

* * *

_prologue: new recruits._

Lupa watched the child with a clever eye. He was unusually still for any child so young, nonetheless a hyperactive child with more reflexes then he knew what to do with. He looked so serene she couldn't help but wonder what his mother had told him when she'd dropped him off in the woods and left him here by himself.

He was watching her too.

At first, she thought he was only catching glimmers of her movement. Even a half-blood child would have had some noticeable reaction to a wolf slinking around in the woods behind them, and she hadn't seen him move. Not once. But after a few minutes it became apparent that his eyes were following her, and they made eye contact when she stepped out of the trees into the dimming afternoon sunlight.

Maybe, she realized, she had her work cut out for her this time.

She worked off fear and intimidation. She would have to stretch herself further to make this child fear her.

Lupa had expected him to be a challenge, of course—she'd been waiting for this one. Neptune had warned her of this before the boy was even born. Naturally, she knew the mother would try and hold on as long as she could, but she also knew a child with a stench that strong couldn't stay alive without protection or training for long. Lupa wasn't thrilled about having a son of Jupiter and a son of Neptune so close in age; she'd witnessed many times firsthand how dangerous a struggle of power could be. With the right amount of pride and manipulation, they could end up rivals, even enemies. All she could do was hope that one would be willing to step down for the other, or she was going to have an explosive problem on her hands, especially if the boys had inherited their fathers' competitive traits. In fact, she wasn't thrilled about having a son of Neptune around _period,_ but she thought that maybe, it just might work to her advantage if she played her cards right.

And oh, she did like a good card game.

Lupa stepped forcefully into the clearing. The boy didn't even blink. She kept walking until they were about a foot away from each other.

"Who are you?" he asked calmly, cocking his head slightly, as though the idea that she wasn't attacking puzzled him.

"I think you know already," Lupa answered, as she stared him down.

He frowned. "I've never seen you before."

Lupa laughed; a raspy, dry laugh that bounced through the woods. "Percy, have you ever heard the story of Romulus and Remus?"

* * *

**[Edited 7/11/13]**


	2. Cornered

_Chapter One: Cornered_

Reyna's soft breathing and the crackling of the fire was the only noise around for miles. The tranquility settled over Percy, and he allowed himself to finally relax, for the first time since he left camp. He had all but begged Lupa to let him go home. And she had agreed eventually; reluctantly, but still only allowed him a week. One week away, not counting the travel there and back. The amount of walking and hitching rides from whatever gods weren't currently trying to rip his guts out seriously deserved more time in New York than a measly _week, _but you simply did not argue with Lupa when she put her foot (paw) down. The older he got, the more hesitant she was to let Percy leave. Her reasoning was fair enough—attachments to the mortal world were increasingly dangerous (apparently), and leaving the safety of Camp Jupiter was risky the older and more powerful he got—but Manhattan would always be home to Percy, and he'd never been one to act out of logic.

Not that Camp Jupiter wasn't home, because it _was, _but it just wasn't... the _same. _There was tension and worry and frustration and all-around pressure circling him constantly, and somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind he might just admit that he felt _suffocated. _The buildings and the campers right down to the very property itself held its breath at camp. And could you blame them, really?

_Apocalypse._ It was a word no one would dare speak aloud. It appeared in hushed thoughts and the worst of nightmares, beating along with the steady drum of the demigods' hearts. They all felt it; it started as a dull pitter-pattering, and manifested itself in the tingling in their fingers and the goose bumps on their arms. Every once in awhile someone would be caught staring forbodingly into the swirling fog that hung above Mount Tam, like something out of a bad soap opera. No one ever saw anything. It didn't matter. Eyes could be so terribly deceptive.

Reyna shifted her body so she was facing him, propping her head up with her arm. "I offered to take first watch," she reminded him.

He glanced over at her. "You might as well sleep. I can't anyway."

There was such a fine line between exhaustion and insomnia. Reyna's clever eyes combed him over skeptically, but it was too dark for her to see the purplish-stained skin under his eyes, he hoped. It wasn't like her to let him slide like that, but he figured she was offering him a silent truce: promising she wouldn't order him to get some rest if he didn't point out the frighteningly translucent state of her skin from abusing her body for too long. She simply stretched and groaned, laying back down with a thud. Percy followed suit.

The absence of talking was verging on awkward, which was pretty pathetic. Percy couldn't remember the last time he'd kept _anything _from Reyna. Maybe he'd never done it at all. He didn't like keeping the lid on his feelings. It was awfully un-Roman-like, but it was so much easier to let everything leak out and allow people to react however way they wanted to. People wasted so much time with façades.

Reyna's fingers twisted and overlapped with practiced ease as she braided a strand of her hair methodically. "My sister is always complaining about how I keep her up."

Most of the tension peeled away as her words lingered in the air, thankfully. Percy chuckled. "When is Hylla ever not complaining?"

"Gods, I know," Reyna groaned. "She's ah... high maintenance."

"I'm with her on this one, though," he admitted. "You're kind of a... restless sleeper."

She cracked a grudging smile. Reyna didn't have many flaws (that he knew about, and he was sort of an expert on her by then), but the ones she did have were nasty. Nasty flaws that made him do things like waking up and finding the person who was _supposed_ to be up watching for monsters that had fallen asleep and then sleep-walked away, getting Percy's heart rate up to double what it should be in the process.

"I—" Reyna started, then apparently thought better of it and closed her mouth. Percy sighed. He'd known Reyna and her sister basically as long as he could remember. She'd also been born in Manhattan—a fact that comforted Percy when he was amidst the slew of campers that had been born on the West Coast—and demigods had a way of finding each other. She and Hylla weren't officially apart of the Legion, but they stayed at camp when they needed to. Lupa wasn't particularly happy about it, but they were capable warriors, and she bent the rules a little if they promised to aid in fighting, if the situation arose. It didn't sound like such a bad deal to Percy—more freedom, and no tattoos burned into your arm—but it bothered Reyna to no end. Hylla dragged her just about everywhere, which was hard on her. As far as Percy could tell, Hylla didn't notice her sister's desire to become part of Camp Jupiter, or she simply didn't care. Lately, Reyna had grown more and more closed off. It wasn't a drastic change, and Percy didn't notice it at first, but it was becoming increasingly obvious to him. He'd decided to just back off and give her space. Sometimes asking Reyna questions only made her guard go up and caused her to shut down.

"I want to go home," she whispered up to the stars. Percy looked at her from over his shoulder. Her deep brown hair—shorter than usual; just past her shoulders—was splayed out in the grass, reflecting the silvery glow of the moon. She twisted and untwisted a strand of hair around her finger, like she always did when she was pensive. The soft moonlight made her skin look even paler. Reyna had the type of skin that just didn't tan, no matter how long she sat in the sun. She let out a breath that could be seen in the crisp air, then sat up and hugged her knees to her chest.

"Percy?" Reyna ventured.

He smirked to himself. Here it comes. "Yeah?"

"Do you ever feel like... like something's about to happen?"

Percy frowned. "Something like... what?"

Reyna bit her lip. "I don't know like... like you're restless, and something big is about to happen, but you don't know what it is or when?"

"Well..." Percy considered. "I guess so."

She herself wasn't even sure what she really meant. She just knew that she'd been on edge because of some weird intuition that she'd been feeling lately. "I just like... I feel like things are starting to, I don't know, happen?"

"Yeah, I guess I know what that's like."

"I've been having this... dream."

"Reoccurring?" Percy asked, mildly concerned.

She sighed and nodded. "For weeks now." She inhaled calmly and pulled her knees tighter to her as a shudder passed through her body. "I see... I see people watching me."

He froze. "You see gold eyes, watching you?"

Reyna's eyes widened. "Yes! And sometimes I hear... laughter, too." She shuddered again.

"Oh my gods," Percy breathed, thinking of how many nights he'd woken up in a cold sweat from that very dream. He'd been having it for as long as he could remember. Sometimes it talked to him in a raw, scraping voice that haunted him. Percy had fortunately stopped having it when he was around eight, but lately, it had started coming back. It definitely was enough to seriously disturb him. His dreams always proved to mean something sooner or later, especially if another demigod was having the same one. The thing watching him—whatever it is—had an air so pungently evil that it was hard not to get completely freaked out.

"What... what is it?" She asked him. Her eyes were large and fearful, and he could tell that she didn't really want to know the answer.

"I started thinking that it might be a—" he caught himself. "a god,"

"What?" Reyna asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes. "You weren't going to say god, were you?"

Percy didn't answer.

"Titan," she whispered. She exhaled heavily, like she was relieved that she'd finally said it aloud.

He shifted his eyes to look back at her without turning his head. "But Reyna, that's... crazy."

And it was, right?

"Not really." She said ominously. "I mean... think about it, Percy," she continued quickly. "If you were an all-powerful Titan ruling the world as you wished, you'd be pretty happy, right? And then if your own kids plotted against you and overthrew you, how angry would you be? Wouldn't you want revenge?"

"If I was a crazed killing machine, yes," Percy admitted.

"Which the Titans are, right?"

"Look, Rey-rey," Percy sighed. "Yeah, the Titans want revenge. But they can't do anything without Saturn backing them. And Saturn is cut up into like, a bazillion pieces, rotting in the darkest pits of the Underworld. He can't come back."

It was a comforting enough statement. If he said it enough times, he might actually start believing it. The thing was... he was only eleven, going on twelve. But he'd still seen enough to know that things often don't happen the way you expect them to; the way that makes sense. For gods's sakes, the entire basis of the universe didn't even make sense. There were no explanations in the world he lived in, and he'd begun to notice that if everything clicked together perfectly with an explanation to back it up, it was undoubtedly too good to be true. Maybe it was just Percy's imagination, but he thought he felt a slight chill in the air when he said the Titan Lord's name aloud. He sighed and shook his head. "Reyna, are you sure that's all that's bothering you?"

She stroked her chin, pretending to contemplate the statement. "Yes," she said slowly, nodding.

"Promise?" he asked.

She smiled and held out her smallest finger. "Pinky promise."

Percy laughed. "Seriously?"

"We're still kids, aren't we?" Reyna pointed out. "Maybe we aren't six anymore, but a pinky promise is a pinky promise."

He shrugged and linked their fingers together. Briefly, Percy wished that they could go back to being six, when pinky-promising was the most trouble you could get yourself into. "You should seriously sleep, Sunshine."

She chuckled softly. "Why do you always insist on taking first watch?"

He didn't like seeing the sun come up. The light exposed everything; bringing it into focus and giving you a clearer picture. Percy liked things the way they were. New days meant you were all the more closer to things becoming _different. _It was so much easier to pretend that the day never started nor ended; that it just kept spiraling forward, sprawling and devouring new time and compressing it into one day. One simple day, where you didn't have to ever wait for tomorrow, you just had to wait. You couldn't procrastinate or push things back until tomorrow, because tomorrow didn't exist. Percy liked it better that way, when there were no fresh starts and nothing was forgotten, because forgiving doesn't mean forgetting at all. Without a new day, you could still go back and make the current day better.

But he couldn't say that aloud; not even to Reyna. Because verbalizing meant admitting and admitting meant exposing and exposing meant things would change.

"Because, if I'm on first, then I don't have to wake up at a certain time to relieve you."

"But we're still sleeping for the same amount of time."

"That's what you think," Percy laughed.

Reyna punched him playfully on the arm. "I'm waking you up by ten, Kelp Head," she warned, then curled up on the hard ground and passed out almost instantly.

Percy kicked a rock and watched it roll into the diminishing flames. He knew it wasn't smart to have a fire going, but the monsters had been oddly scarce on that trip, and he didn't feel like shivering and being completely by himself in the pitch blackness. He didn't know where they were, but he hadn't seen real civilization for quite sometime, and there was absolutely no light pollution whatsoever.

He wished he could just ignore Reyna and her speculations and think about something else, but he had a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach. Lupa had taught him to trust his instincts and let his senses lead him, but then he just wanted to tune everything else out and get back to camp. There was always some problem or another brewing, but it usually blew over before escalating into a catastrophe. This would do the same, he reassured himself. It was probably just something stupid, like Jupiter and his father fighting again.

"She's right, you know." His head snapped up in the direction of the woman's voice. "You're both right, actually," she added as an afterthought.

"Juno." He muttered. He wished he could be surprised, but he'd been expecting this for too long. She kept coming in dreams; dreams he wanted nothing to do with. He ignored them. Lately, he'd even taken to not sleeping. Drastic measures, perhaps, but it was easier than actually responding to her.

The goddess narrowed her icy blue eyes.

"You'd think heroes would have some more respect," Juno sniffed

"Why do you keep appearing to me?" Percy demanded, ignoring her comment.

"Why, why, why," the goddess sighed, picking at her nails. "Always straight to the point. I'd thought you'd gotten less stubborn over the years, Perseus."

"Don't call me that," he snapped angrily.

Juno's cold lips turned into a devious smirk. "As you wish, Perseus."

"It's Percy," he corrected through gritted teeth. He was still incredulous that his mother had chosen to name him after a son of Zeus; basically his alter-ego. Her reasons made good enough sense, but it still drove him crazy.

"Mmm," she murmured lazily, looking up from her nails and focusing her eyes on him. Juno's irises seemed to see right _into_ Percy. "See, Percy, you keep shutting me down whenever I try to visit you in dreams. I had not wanted to come and see you in person, but you leave me no choice."

"Why do you have to see me at all?" Percy asked skeptically. He knew that when gods cross half-bloods' paths, it didn't normally end well.

"I just told you," Juno said calmly. "Because you're right."

Percy's mouth went dry. "I figured that."

"And, of course," she continued, "You're going to help me."

Which just went to show that he didn't have a choice. Juno's plans were never simple, and always dangerous, or just completely insane. She messed with too much; went too far, and then she blamed it on something else. Things were going to get really messy really fast.

His stomach twisted. He had a pretty good idea of what she was going to ask. She'd been lecturing him on Greek history for weeks, and some of the things she said confirmed rumors that Octavian spread around the camp. There were few things Percy hated more than when the scrawny legacy was right about something, but it did seem like a Greek camp existed somewhere.

The edges of her lips curled up into something that could be described as a smile, but it only held cruelty and malice. "As Romans are to Lupa, Greeks are to Chiron."

Percy wished he could make her take it back; gather up the words floating freely in the air and cram them back down her throat, one by one. He didn't want to know. Now that he was within the circle of knowing, she could use him. He felt the shift in the air; the change that had come because of that simple statement.

Percy stiffened. "You want me to—"

"Switch, Percy," she confirmed. "I want you to switch.

He almost laughed. She couldn't be serious.

The goddess laughed bitterly. "Oh, child, I have great expectations for you. You will be my champion, if only you allow me to..." she stopped. He found the pause unsettling. "_assist_ you."

The tone in which she spoke was hardly believable. He narrowed his eyes. A pity; such beautiful eyes should not be filled with hate. "How many heroes have you given _that_ speech to?"

The goddess laughed again, but lightly. Musically. As if something was genuinely funny, which she knew would annoy him. "You are wise, Perseus," she taunted. It was anything but a compliment. He was all too aware of the tricks she had up her sleeves; a fact for which she hated him. "What does it matter if I have given this speech before? It is only the truth."

"You're a liar," he spat. "Just admit it: you don't care what happens to me, as long as I do as you say."

"I do care," Juno insisted. "I would not send you if I did not know that you were capable," she admitted.

That caught Percy off guard. Whenever he saw Juno, it was usually just so she could criticize him on something, anything, everything.

"How about sending a certain favorite hero of yours?" He snarled, not quite ready to buy into her little game just yet. Something was off. He could feel it. She was hiding something; cleverly dodging something that might squelch any chance of him agreeing.

She looked startled for a second. Unfortunately, she quickly regained her composure. "You mean Jason?" She asked, though, of course, she knew the answer already. "Please," she said, amused; a smirk painted on her lips. "I highly doubt he'd handle it well there."

If that didn't set off the alarms in his head, nothing would. She never said anything negative about Jason.

Juno gritted her teeth, silently cursing Lupa. She had taught him far too well, and far too much, at that. She couldn't earn his trust if his guard was up. She decided it might be good for a topic change. "The stronger the Titan Army gets, the less likely we are to win. The sooner the Prophecy is fulfilled, the better."

"Wait a second," he held up a hand. "The Prophecy? You mean the Prophecy of the Seven?"

"Not exactly," she muttered. "I believe Lupa told you two years ago?"

Percy's face darkened. Lupa claimed it to be the right time for him to hear it, for reasons completely unbeknownst to Percy. The Great Prophecy was hushed and guarded. He'd never talked about it with anyone else. Not even Lexi and Jason, who were sitting in the same boat. They probably didn't even know it existed. "Oh. That prophecy."

"It may very well not be you, you know."

The strangest thing was, he _knew _it was somehow tied to him. It wasn't some intuition or anything like that, it's just that there weren't many children of the eldest gods. He should've feared it, but it didn't bother him the way you would expect it to. He saw it as a guarantee that he'd turn sixteen, which was good, because he never would have guessed he'd live that long. "I'm the oldest."

"Let's say it is you," she reasoned. "Don't you want to make the right decision? Don't you want to save the world?"

What kind of question was that, anyway? The glint in her eyes freaked him out. She was backing him into a corner, but he couldn't figure out how. "Yeah, of course."

"And you'd be willing to do whatever it takes in order to do that?"

"Um, I guess so." He'd like to think nothing would stop him, but in those type of situations, you just couldn't be sure until you faced it head on.

"Well that's encouraging," Juno muttered, with heavy sarcasm. She held his gaze for a second, before clearing her throat and continuing. "You have a lot of friends, and you have a lot of enemies, but as long as your friends outweigh your enemies, you're in good shape. See, everyone trusts you. Everyone likes you. There's something about you that makes people feel at ease. These are qualities that you need to be a leader."

Percy huffed, exasperated. "What does this have to do with Greeks?"

"They need a leader."

He was about five seconds away from deciding she'd completely lost her mind. Her reasoning didn't make any sense whatsoever. If they needed a leader so desperately, someone should stand up and fill that position. A _Greek _should stand up.

She answered his questions, as though reading his thoughts (which she probably was). "Don't you get it? The Great Prophecy and the leaders of the camps are connected. I don't know about you, but I would not want to rush into a war being lead by someone who I knew couldn't put an end to it."

Any other Roman would've jumped at the chance to go conquer a new camp, but Percy had never wanted power. He didn't like the spotlight, although it seemed he was always forced into it. There were so many others who were so much better cut out for a situation like that. Even if he did agree, did she actually think the Greeks would accept him? Who was he to go in and demand respect from a camp who had their own way of doing things? They wouldn't want his leadership, and they would never put him in a position of power.

All at once, Percy realized why she was asking him, of all people; why she'd been keeping her discussions with him a secret; why no other Roman would want to take the job. It wasn't about power at all, it was about conformity. And _lying._

She was asking him to give up his whole life.

"Camp Jupiter has two capable leaders," Juno said. She spoke quietly and carefully, choosing her words with extreme precision. "Humbling yourself is something you do best, Perseus. I was hoping you'd put that into action and do what you know is right."

Percy cursed under his breath. What was he supposed to say to that? She'd set it up in such a way that he couldn't refuse. Typical. She made it look like he had a choice in the matter. He was pretty sure that even if he did refuse, she'd force him to go. But really, what had he expected? That's the way Juno worked. And she'd already decided his future for him.

**. . .**

"Get up," Reyna ordered, nudging him with her foot. She'd been up for hours and was bored as heck. The sun was up. They had to move. And frankly, mornings drained all the compassion out of her.

"No," Percy moaned, wishing he wasn't on the ground so he had a pillow to bury his head under. "Go away."

He'd reached the conclusion that no sleep at all was better than limited sleep. If you did rest, you were all groggy and irritated when you woke up. Sleep deprived demigods rarely did well in the real world.

"Come on," she insisted and kicked him harder in the ribs. Percy winced and groaned. He whacked her foot away before she could kick him a third time and rolled over.

"I'm sick of being in the woods, and I'm starving. Into the mortal cities."

Percy opened his eyes just enough to glare at her tiredly and raised a hand to shade his eyes from the intrusive sunlight. "Sleep first. Food later."

"I don't think so," Reyna shook her head firmly, hands on her hips. "Anyway, I decided to time you. I went to bed at nine, got up at three. It's ten now. You should be thanking me for giving you an extra hour."

"It's too early for math," Percy pointed out, sitting up slowly. Everyone knew math was completely pointless anyway. It's not like you were going to stand around calculating the speed of which a poisoned chimera tail was whizzing toward you.

"You got eight hours of sleep! Quit complaining and get your lazy butt up."

"I'm up, I'm up!" Percy insisted, raising his hands in a sign of surrender. "Jeez, Rey-rey."

"We have a really long way to go, too," she rambled on, already starting to walk away. "I want to get there already."

Percy was pretty sure she kept talking after that, but he mostly just tuned her out. Reyna was in a sunny mood that morning; she'd probably had a dreamless night. Lucky her. Percy's typical dream had come back again, followed by a series of random but disturbing images that kept him up the majority of the night.

Reyna plowed forward and Percy stumbled along behind her; story of his life. She was headstrong and determined, and he was always faced with the simple choice of whether or not to tag along or let her hike off by herself. Finally, she had the decency to slow down a little, after lecturing herself got boring.

"Someone had a bad night," she teased, nudging him with her shoulder playfully.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Percy muttered.

"You're worse than Hylla," she rolled her eyes. "Such _divas, _you two."

"What's her deal, anyway?" Percy had been waiting to ask that for ages, but the time never seemed right. Reyna's family was always a touchy subject. Sometimes she was fine sharing, and sometimes she would get defensive.

She shrugged and exhaled loudly. "She's... a perfectionist. And a feminist. And prideful. She wants to do what she wants to do, so she does it, and expects everyone to be on board with the idea."

"No, I know all that," Percy recalled. Both sisters had an agenda, and if you stopped them from completing it, they'd leave you in a lacerated pile. "What I meant was... what's going on with her lately?"

Reyna's typically warm eyes hardened. "Her and Lupa don't get along very well. She doesn't approve of a lot of things that Lupa does. Like the way she shows favoritism." Her steps got a little bit more forceful. "Hylla doesn't want to have to depend on Lupa or the camp for anything. I'm her little sister, so she just assumes that I'm with her, but I don't agree."

"You really don't have it that bad. I mean... being a part of the legion isn't exactly a walk in the park," Percy admitted.

"Yeah, but at least you're apart of _something!"_ Reyna exclaimed, a little louder. "Gods Percy... I would kill to be in your place."

Percy blinked. "There's nothing special about me."

Reyna laughed. She couldn't help it. He could be so painfully blind to his own success sometimes. "Please. Everyone knows you. Everyone loves you. You have a life established for you!" She continues, gradually becoming more worked up. "You have your friends, you have your spot in the Legion, you have weapons and professional training... gods, you even have a mortal parent."

"It could've happened to anyone."

"That's what's so annoying. Why couldn't it have been me?"

"Wow, thanks Rey."

"That's not what I meant!" Reyna insisted, laughing.

"Oh, sure. Watch you kill me in my sleep and steal my life."

"Yeah, totally," Reyna mused. "I'll tell them it was an unfortunate hell-hound accident, and because I feel so guilty about it, that I feel inclined to serve in your place."

"How perfect!" Percy said with mock enthusiasm.

Reyna laughed, shook her head, and kept walking.

It'd always amazed him how she managed to do that. Reyna would open up about something; make herself raw, vulnerable, and exposed, and then be able to joke about the same thing thirty seconds later. Gods, did Percy ever wish he could be like that.

**. . .**

The wolf sat by the dwindling fire, alone in the dark. Slowly, a young girl emerged straight out of the flames. The wolf's eyes flickered to her, before she directed them back onto the fire.

"Vesta."

The girl bobbed her head with a childlike eagerness, her vibrant red eyes studying Lupa's face.

"What brings you here?" Lupa asked, still not looking at her. The young girl sighed.

"I just thought you might like some company," the goddess answered matter-of-factly. "You looked lonely."

The wolf laughed; so sharply contrasting with her personality and everything she stood for. A sound such as Lupa's laughter was rare, yet not unpleasant.

"And I bring news."

"Of course you bring news," Lupa said, rolling her eyes. "No god has ever come otherwise."

Vesta just shrugged.

"I spend more time here than you think."

"Yes yes, I know, I know. Always in the background, aren't you now?"

She did not respond to this, only sat down next to Lupa, resting her hands on her legs and her head on her hands. She looked so human, no one would guess that Lupa was talking to one of the eldest goddesses of all time.

"My sister will stop at nothing to get what she wants."

The wolf smirked; as much as a wolf _can_ smirk, at least.

"Which sister is this?"

"My youngest sister," Vesta answered.

"That is your news?" Lupa asked, but not disrespectfully. "We have known that since she took the throne as Queen of the Heavens."

Vesta gently smiled. "Yes, that is true. But sometimes we need to be reminded," she replied, choosing her words carefully. "It's not always a bad thing, however."

Lupa turned to look at her quizzically.

"You see, she knows what she wants, and she knows what is right. Those two things don't always contrast. Sometimes, what she wants is what is right."

Lupa focused back on the flames, which had grown higher because of Vesta's presence.

"Why is this relevant?" The wolf asked. Vesta sighs.

"Like now, for instance. What she wants is what is right."

"And what is it that she wants?"

The goddess took a deep breath. "She wants to send one of your campers over to Camp Half-Blood."

Lupa's mouth dropped open. She had seen it all. It took a lot to surprise her, but this did it. "For how long?" She demanded, shocked that the Olympians would even entertain such a ridiculous notion. Vesta simply shrugged again.

"Depends on when she decides to send them. Of course, she needs their permission."

"Oh," Lupa said, admittedly relieved. "Well, that changes things. My students would never agree to that."

Vesta laughed wryly. "Well, that would depend on the circumstances."

Lupa did not reply to this, wondering what it would take for one of them to betray her. She wondered briefly if Chiron's students would ever betray him. Loyalty is a quality that she had never allowed to be taken lightly. She knew she pushed them to their limits, but she would never push them past their limits. She took pride in her pupils—the ones that did not turn out to be failures—striving to pay each one the attention they deserve. She was misjudged often. So many teachers think that each of their students deserved equal treatment. Perhaps that's what made her different. Her half-bloods must earn their respect. She didn't make it easy, either. But she loved them all the same, and she would do anything for them. But even for an instructor who was disgusted with failure and hated too much emotion, it was hard not to wonder if the feeling was mutual.

**. . .**

"Hey, have you guys seen Harry anywhere?" Nick asked upon entering the Lounge, directing his question at Gwen, Jason, and Percy, who were currently (rather loudly) occupying the corner.

Riley, who had been quietly working by herself, looks up from her paper. "Who's Harry?"

Gwen abruptly became serious, eyes growing wide. "Oh gods, Harry's missing?"

Nick nodded mournfully. "I was sure he was there last night..."

"Who's Harry?" Riley repeated.

"How could you let him get away?" Demanded Gwen. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know! Someone in my cabin probably—" Nick frowned. "Hey! Nothing's wrong with me!"

"Who is Harry?" Riley yelled, slamming her notebook down on the table in front of her.

"Jeez, Parker. Chillax." Percy says.

Riley rolled her eyes. "Just answer. And don't call me that.""

The other kids exchanged glances, making her want to scream.

"You can't tell her," Gwen whispered. Riley couldn't hear her, but she'd always been a pretty good lip-reader. "She'll flip."

Jason and Percy nodded, looking anywhere but at Riley, who drummed her fingers on the wooden table impatiently.

"Well, Nick?" She singled him out.

Nick paled slightly. "Um..."

"You obviously know the most about him."

"My pet tarantula," Nick admitted. She immediately tensed, then remembered that this was _Nick_ she was talking to. She shot him her _so-not-funny_ look.

"You're such a jerk," Riley growled, her cold grey eyes boring into his head.

"I'm serious!" Nick insisted, looking at the others for support.

"It's true. Harry's his pet tarantula," Jason clarified, and the rest nodded in agreement.

"How... how did we not know about this? That's illegal!" She sputtered. _"And _you let it get away? What _is _wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry!" He moaned/, his face looking ashen. Although Riley was furious and terrified, she could tell the apology was genuine. She could never understand why he was so _afraid _of her.

"Gods, it's really out?"

"He!" Nick interjected.

She continued as if he hadn't spoken, her voice steady and controlled, "roaming around the camp freely," Nick nodded,"and nobody has seen it?" Nick nodded again.

"Oh my gods, Nick, I swear if that thing comes within a mile of me, you are a dead man!" She shrieked, pulling her legs up onto the couch and hugging them to her chest. Percy tapped her shoulder and she screamed, leaping off the couch.

"It's not funny!" She wailed, while they struggled to keep straight faces. Nick stared at the ground.

Jason sighed. "Okay, okay guys, seriously. We need to find this thing before it finds a child of Minerv—"

"Don't say that!" Riley shrieked again, jumping as a strand of her long, dark hair tickles her neck.

"Well, speaking of which, you should probably make sure one of Minerva's kids hasn't already seen him." Percy suggested.

"Percy, please," She groaned, scratching her arms and shuddering.

"I'm just being realistic! That's what he's looking for."

"PERCY!"

"Sorry! Gods. You'd be so dead if a certain teacher of ours was to hear about this little episode, you know."

"Wow, thanks. I really needed that!"

"Guys!" Gwen cut in. "Will you break it—" her voice broke off suddenly as her eyes focused on something on the floor.

"What?" Riley demanded, her head snapping in the direction Gwen was looking in. She inhaled sharply and froze. "Oh gods oh gods oh gods oh gods oh gods oh gods..." she whispered, her mouth barely moving; unable to take her eyes off the dark patch on the floor. Percy grabbed her arm and gently pulled her back, positioning her behind him.

"Harry!" Nick cried happily, scooping up the repulsive little beast into the palm of his hand. Nick started towards the door, and Riley pressed against the wall in sheer terror.

"Other door," Percy said, pointing at the other side of the room.

"Oh. Right," Nick replied, turning around.

Riley didn't sleep very well that night.

**. . .**

"I don't understand!" Riley ranted. "It's not fair!"

"Oh give it a rest, Riles," Gwen cut her off tiredly, picking at her nail polish. The fuming girl glared at her friend; a gesture lost on Gwen.

"You know what, Gwen? Last time I checked you weren't even allowed in the First Cohort's cabin."

"Oh please," Gwen brought her eyes up to the ceiling and back around again.

"I'm with Gwen, Parker," Percy agreed. "We, get it, already."

Riley hurled her silver hunting knife and spears the cabin wall with perfect preciseness; missing Gwen's head by inches.

"Riley!" Gwen shrieked, and moved from the cabin floor to one of the empty beds.

"Can you please not destroy our cabin?" Percy grumbled. Riley rolled her eyes and muttered a half-hearted apology.

"What did she even say?" Gwen asked, still absorbed in her nails; which miraculously managed to stay long and perfectly manicured, despite all of the training. Percy chuckled to himself.

"Shut it, kelp head." Riley snarled.

He raises his eyebrows. "Kelp head. That's a first."

She sticks her tongue out.

"Not as good as Parker, though," Gwen cackled. "Keep trying, Riles."

Riley narrowed her eyes at Gwen. "One day, I'll come up with something that will be better than any nickname I could have possibly gotten stuck with."

"Nah," Percy shook his head. "You never will."

"Y'know what, Percy..." she snapped.

"What?"

She made a growling noise in the back of her throat and refused to answer.

"You still didn't tell me what happened," Gwen reminded her.

Riley threw her hands up in the air and cursed colorfully in Latin. "Lupa only comes what, once a year? And when she does, it's only to insult us!"

"She just... made a comment about the Hunters of Diana, that's all," Percy informed Gwen.

Gwen winced. "Ouch."

The whole camp was aware of Riley and Diana's bad history. Riley had been one of Diana's Hunters for several years, but when Venus stepped in, things took a turn for the worst. Venus simply wouldn't let go of the idea that Riley was meant to be with a boy. Riley would repeatedly deny this, swearing her loyalty to Diana. The goddess believed her, until she caught her talking with a boy, and overreacted. Riley cursed Diana for mistrusting her. The goddess didn't have the heart to kill a former Hunter, no matter how deeply she had offended her, so she dumped her at Camp Jupiter. That was a year ago. The campers had gotten used to Riley's adult mindset trapped in her twelve-year-old body, but no one wanted to discuss Diana and the Hunters with her.

"Riley, seriously, calm down. She's rude to everyone." Percy interrupted. Gwen bobbed her blonde head in agreement.

"She's not rude to you." She sniffed, crossing her arms.

"That's... different."

"Oh really? How? How is it different?" Riley demanded. "I'm a member of the First Cohort, for gods' sakes! What do you have to do to get on her good list, anyway?" The girls both looked at him expectantly.

"I just... she just knows me."

"So you're saying she chooses favorites based on years of service." Riley summed up.

"I'm not her favorite," Percy countered.

"Yeah, okay," Gwen rolled her eyes. "She even calls you her 'Romulus.'"

"Oh my gods," Percy insisted, "that's a joke."

"Alright Percy, whatever you say," Riley sighed.

* * *

**[Edited 3/17/12]**


	3. Hello's and Goodbye's

**Note: **Before you ask: Yes, it's Nakamura. Creative, huh?

* * *

_Chapter Two: Hello's and Goodbye's_

"Hey guys," Lexi said, talking quickly as she walked into the Lounge, keeping her eyes low. "Have any of you seen—whoa," she finished abruptly, when she looked up. A laugh bubbled up inside her. She was fairly new with the whole "divided cohorts" thing, but even _she _knew that higher ranked demigods didn't mix with lower-ranked ones. Yet, Percy and Riley had come from the First Cohort, which normally looked down on basically everyone, but the two of them seemed to get along with just about all the campers. Well, Percy did, at least, and him and Riley were good friends. The two were joined by Nick and Ethan from Third, which in itself made a good chunk of the campers stop and stare. Stranger still was the presence of Jason, Gwen, and Dakota from Fifth. To top it all off, there was Reyna, who wasn't even a member of the Legion at all.

"What?" Jason asked.

Lexi just shook her head. "Nothing." She grabbed an empty seat next to Percy. He was really the only one who talked to her out of the whole camp. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her, but she was pretty sure she saw everyone look down and stop laughing. Not that she could blame them, really; she understood why they would be apprehensive about a Daughter of Pluto arriving at Camp Jupiter. The praetors wouldn't have let her in, had Lupa not specifically ordered them to do so. She had been grudgingly accepted into the Fourth Cohort, which didn't make much sense to her, but that was the way Lupa wanted it.

She wished she could get Percy alone for just a second, but she was rapidly discovering that that was a nearly impossible feat.

"We were discussing the wolf's pets," Riley said to Lexi. "Which _are _receiving special treatment." Riley took special care to direct the last statement at Jason.

Gwen held up a hand. "Don't even deny it. You know it's true."

"It is not!" Jason argued.

"Everyone here agrees. And so does everyone who isn't here," Riley plowed on.

"Yeah..." Ethan started, surprising Lexi. She knew him through Percy (of course), but she's never actually heard him speak. He prefered to keep to himself, apparently. "I've been here a pretty long time, but she's never liked me as much as she likes you or Percy."

"Don't even complain, Ethan," Dakota growled. "She likes you more than us. We're like, the rejects or something. Like it's _our _fault the Eagle got lost like, a billion years ago."

"Try fifty," Riley smirked. "And maybe you wouldn't be a reject if you weren't an addict in the making."

"I am not!"

"No, not at all. Your mouth is just permanently dyed red for no reason."

"It's not _permanent."_

"Y'know, you can dye your hair with that stuff," Gwen piped up. "Two packs of it, mixed with conditioner. It lasts _forever. _I wouldn't mess with it."

"You all have no respect for delicacies," Dakota shook his head sadly. "Kool-Aid, wasted on Venus kids' heads. So sad."

"It was not _wasted," _she huffed. "I mean, did you _see _Amy's hair? It looked awesome."

"No, it would be _awesome _if it was dyed with blood."

"Sick," Ethan muttered. "We should do that."

Gwen wrinkled her nose. "Now _that _is sad."

"You never know, Gwen. It might give it a really _dramatic hue," _Riley mocked, tossing her hair over her shoulder the way a celebrity would.

"Maybe you should try it, Riley," Percy suggested. "Y'know who else is a redhead? Mary Jane Watson."

"Harry would _love _you," Nick added, with a methodical nod.

Riley scowled convincingly. Lexi marveled at how intense the teasing could get between a group of kids who honestly loved each other so much; not that they'd ever admit it, of course.

"Watch it, Nick," Riley warned. "or I'll report it."

"You'll report _him," _he corrected irritably. "And that just makes you a baby."

"I am _not!"_

"Yeah, and here she is, making fun of _me,_" Gwen rolled her big blue-green eyes.

"I know what you mean," Jason nodded, looking pensive. "This fear is getting out of control."

"Very," Dakota joined in. "Maybe we should think about treatment."

"You know, there are options," Nick told her in a comically serious voice. "We could always give Harry to you for the weekend. Or better yet, let him out! I think getting acquainted would do you wonders."

Riley inhaled deeply. She looked petrified for a second, but she hid it impressively well. "I think you all just have small brains that prevent you from talking about anything but mindless creatures. This conversation is pointless."

"Alright, Parker," Percy held up his hands as a sign of surrender. "We just thought you'd like to know before, so you can at least be on the lookout."

Maybe subconsciously, Riley glanced over her shoulder and scooched closer into the middle of the circle they had formed.

It was nice to see some cracks in the perfectly polished shell the Romans all wore. They gave off the impression of flawlessness, which was probably what intimidated Lexi the most, out of everything she'd seen in the upside down hell that is also known as her life. They had everything down to a science, which aside from being really ironic, was nerve-racking. She was a variable, and it was hard not to feel unwanted when you were surrounded by kids who knew who they were and where they were headed.

There, Lexi saw some imperfections; some faults. They were subtle, but there nonetheless. They hid in the way Riley's eyes shifted around the room uncomfortably; behind Reyna's indifferent smile; behind Ethan's stubborn quietness and Gwen's pretty face. She couldn't quite pinpoint it in the others, but she saw something behind Percy's humble attitude, Nick's jokes, and Jason's calm but authoritative demeanor. And as cheesy and totally stupid and cliché as it sounds, especially to a hardened daughter of Pluto, she liked knowing she wasn't alone.

**. . .**

"Well," she asked her son with a sigh, "What do you think?"

Percy stared at the computer screen in utter disgust. "I _think _it sounds like some wasteland for physco kids." He replied matter-of-factly. Sally rolled her eyes, but couldn't resist laughing. He realized that he missed her laugh; he definitely didn't get to see her enough.

"It _is. _That's kind of the point," she remarked.

Sally had always marveled at his ability to get kicked out of every school he'd ever been too, even though he didn't even have to survive the whole school year, only the months he was home. He only came home for the winter, and the occasional couple of weeks in the spring, but that almost never happened. Over the years, it had been mostly just the month of December. Lupa had held her campers on a tighter and tighter leash because of the brewing war, and she was never really in favor of letting them go home to begin with. When activity on Mount Tam began, they weren't let out of her sight. Still, _still, _in such limited schooling time, he had managed to get expelled. From every single school. She didn't mind at the time. After all, she treasured the time she _did _have with him. Her apartment was so lonely otherwise. She hated having to send him off to school for the short time he was home. She _did _mind it now, however, seeing as the only options they had left were boarding schools. For the first time since he was two, he'd be home for the entire year, and she had to send him away. It broke her heart.

"And thanks to you, we're kind of out of options," Sally added, because they'd been through so many schools she lost track. It took quite a lot to get kicked out of a school who welcomed juvenile delinquents. Percy just shrugged indifferently, completely unconcerned. She should've known he wouldn't care, and she'd long since stopped trying to get him to care. He had better things to worry about, and thus so did she. School was never a big issue. That is, until then.

"No other options? Maybe something less..." he trailed off. "Prison-like?"

Sally chuckled. "It's the closest one."

"Does that really matter though?"

She sighed. He had got a point: even the closest school was too far away for him to commute. But being the mother of a half-blood, she liked to keep him as close as possible. The habit had developed after the Minotaur came barreling through the doors of Stop & Shop when he was three. Then again, if something happened, by the time she found out he'd already be out of the state.

She clicked on another link.

"This one is highly recommended..." she thought aloud. Percy squinted.

"Yancy Academy?"

His mother nodded, reading the articles on it.

"It's upstate, too," she added. He considered.

"I bet it's hell there," he muttered.

"Probably is," she replied, clicking on the link to Yancy Academy's website. "but any school that will accept you is bound to be."

"Gee, thanks."

"I'm not the one who got you expelled."

"Not _all _of them were my fault..."

"I beg to differ..."

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and Sally stifled a laugh.

"I think it's a good school," she said, changing the subject. She didn't bother to add: _as good as they're gonna get. _She'd given him enough grief about it for today... and not to mention he just didn't care.

"Fine. Look into the School of Hell." He growled. School. _School. _It sounded so _normal, _sometimes Percy would whisper it aloud, just to remind himself that he, as a matter of fact, _is _partly human. He'd never realized how quickly you could forget your own mortality when being surrounded by other-worldly things.

Juno had told him time and time again to just _relax, _but after years of training to _always _be on guard, he seems to have trouble doing it. Percy is not one to run from a fight; never has been. So how was it, exactly, that he could slay some of the most vicious monsters of all time without a second thought, but the idea of school terrified him?

"Very original, Percy," she mused, rolling her eyes at the nickname. "So what's the plan?

He groaned and flopped back onto the couch. Sore subject, she knew. But she_ needed_ to ask, or he probably wouldn't tell her: partly because he wouldn't want to worry her (protective, as always), and partly because he didn't like talking about it. Not that she blamed him, really. His life was anything but fair, yet another thing she wished to but was unable to change.

"The plan is go to Yancy. Get 'discovered.' Blend in."

"So that's just... it?" Sally asked incredulously. "You're just... staying there?"

She winced when his face darkened, then shut down. She hated having to pry.

"Yeah. Until one of the Olympians sends me back," Percy answered quietly. He was still in shock that it was _really _and _actually_ happening. After three years of waiting, preparing and arguing with Juno, he finally had to actually _go. _Plus she took his sword, which he was _not _happy about. He liked his sword. So basically: unarmed for the first time since he was a toddler, leaving his home camp, all of his friends, his teachers, and going over to the _Greeks _(ugh). Plus he had to go to some kleptomaniac wasteland and wait to be "discovered."  
And Juno had the nerve to tell him to be _optimistic. "You never know, you may learn to _like _it there."_

As if.

. . .

"You're leaving tonight?" The Daughter of Pluto questioned sadly.

Percy nodded. "Back to New York, finally."

"No I mean like... _leaving_ leaving."

He cleared his throat. "Yeah."

Lexi shook her head in disbelief. "I can't... how could you just... pack up and leave?" She asked, her eyebrows drawing together. "I didn't even consider leaving, when she asked me, and I've only been here for a year. I just..." her voice trailed off and the two locked eyes, an unspoken understanding passing between them.

"Guess this is goodbye, then," Lexi whispered, smiling sadly and giving him a hug.

"I guess so."

"But I am so not waiting four years to see you again. I'll be dropping in on you, you know, saving your ass and stuff," she snickered, and he rolled his eyes. He was smiling, though.

**. . .**

"I heard you and Reyna are heading back to New York," The wolf said steadily. It was rare for Lupa to come to Camp Jupiter, but she paid an occasional visit when things were tense, and _tense _didn't even begin to sum up the level of unease.

"Yes, ma'am," Percy replied, looking her dead in the eye and trying to figure out where she could be going with this.

"Maybe it's no more than animal instincts, but I'm usually not wrong," she continued, holding his gaze with her liquid amber eyes. "You're not coming back, are you?"

_Godsdammit._

"No. I'm actually not." He answered calmly.

She didn't respond immediately; just stared him down. Her expression reminded him of the day he first met her; out by the Wolf House. She hadn't said anything then either, just waited for Percy to make his move.

"Well, Percy, it's been awhile since I've been this sad about seeing a camper go." Her voice was completely emotionless, but Percy could tell by her eyes that she meant the words. Praise had never come easy from Lupa, which just made it all the more shocking when she did pay you a compliment.

"It's been a long time since I've been so sad about leaving a place." Percy kept his voice strict and formal, the way Lupa had always scolded him to do.

"You're the only one out of this entire generation who's managed to grasp what I teach; my modern day Romulus. You're one of my favorites, Percy. Don't disappoint me. I look forward to the time when we will meet again."

**. . .**

The woman who had just answered the door gasped and brought a hand up to her mouth.

"Reyna!" She cried happily, and the two embrace. "I wasn't expecting you for days. It's been too long."

Minutes later, they were seated at the quaint kitchen table, catching up.

"So, sweetie," Sally asked her, "what brings you here?"

Reyna's face darkens automatically. She toyed with the last remaining cookie crumbs. It was supposed to be rude or whatever to always accept food from people, but honestly, Reyna would like to see someone actually manage to turn down Sally Jackson's cookies.

Sally gave her a sympathetic look. "That bad, huh?"

"It's been awful," she clarified. "my sister refuses to stay put. She keeps saying that she doesn't want me to see the 'horrors of war,' or whatever. But I'm the daughter of a war goddess, and a child of Rome. I can handle it."

"Hylla is a smart girl, Reyna. She just wants what's best for you," Sally spoke up. She knew Hylla well enough to know. The sisters had spent many a night in her apartment, and if there was one babysitter she trusted, it was Hylla.

"I know, I know. And I'm thankful for that, and I do respect her decision of not wanting to see war," Reyna admitted. "but I don't feel the same way. I want to live for something. I want to fight for something. I want to stand my ground, instead of packing up and leaving whenever things get a little unstable."

"Well, it's not like you and Hylla are joined at the hip," Sally countered, clasping her fingers around the green coffee cup. "If you just told her what you wanted, I'm sure she'd understand and let you stay at camp, even if she decided to leave."

"I know. I have to talk to her. Soon." Reyna twirled a piece of her hair around her finger absentmindedly. "I... I saw my dad last night," she whispered, staring at the kitchen table.

Sally gasped. "How is he?"

"A mess," she said bluntly. "I didn't even recognize him."

"Raymond..." she whispered. She shook her head slowly and blinked away forming tears. Sally knew better than to press for more information. "Oh, Reyna... I'm so sorry."

"Thanks, I guess, but I don't need your pity." she bit her lip. "I can handle it."

"I know you can, Reyna. But you don't have to do it alone." The woman gave her a warm smile and hugged her tightly.

"Do you know where Percy is?" Reyna asked. Sally's dull snort sufficed for a response.

"Do I _ever_ know where he is?"

**. . .**

"Hey, Sunshine," Percy greeted her. By now, he'd grown used to the sight of Reyna sprawled out on his mother's couch, so he didn't think anything of it.

"Oh, hey," she replied, sitting up.

He scanned her face. She looked distracted. Her body was there, but her mind was miles away. He slumped down next to her.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or not?"

"How do you always know?"

Stupid question. One that barely required an answer. So he merely responded the way he always did: "Because I know you, Reyna."

Reyna gnawed her lip. She wasn't sure why she bothered trying to keep things from him. He always wrenched it out of her eventually.

"I saw my dad last night."

"How did it go?"

"Horribly," she massaged her temples. "He... he _hates_ me, Percy."

"Reyna, I don't think—"

"No, he really hates me. He wouldn't even look at me." Her voice was brittle angry, but also thinly laced with hurt.

"Reyna," Percy turned to face her and forced her to look him in the eye. "What happened to your father was not your fault. He got what he deserved, and you don't need to feel guilty about it. Maybe he does hate you. I don't think so, but maybe. Even if he does, it's just because he's looking for someone to blame for his own mistakes. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Maybe if I would have... I don't know..."

"Stayed home and let him abuse you?"

Reyna winced. Percy knew his words were harsh, because apparently even demigods were susceptible to Stockholm Syndrome, but he also knew that when Reyna was upset about something, she automatically blamed herself. If he didn't say something harsh, she'd make up irrational ways that she could have handled the situation "better."

"He never really hit me... just Hylla," Reyna argued.

Percy knew that was a flat out lie. He remembered the bruises. "Even if that was true, you still did the right thing. Would you rather have your dad in jail, where he belongs, or be stuck in that house, listening to him hit your sister?"

"I guess you're right," she whispered. "I just wish things could have been different."

"Thinking about what could be never gets you anywhere," Percy reminded her.

She nodded. "I know."

"Is anything else wrong?"

"I had a dream last night... it looks like things are getting really bad at camp," she said, talking fast and tugging at her hair; a sure sign that she was worried.

Percy figured she'd say that. He'd had the same dream.

"So go," he replies quietly, after a few moments.

"But... I need you to come with me," she said slowly, frowning.

He shrugged, struggling for a casual attitude. "I'll catch up. We just got back."

She blinked. "Well, yeah. But they need us."

"A few days won't hurt them," Percy insisted. Of course, he wanted nothing than to sprint back to Camp Jupiter with Reyna as fast as possible, but he knew he needed to stay put.

"Um... what do you mean? You have to go back." She let a little bit of irritation leak into her voice.

He wanted so badly to tell her, but the guilt just continued to churn inside him. He kept his eyes on the corner of the coffee table. "You go. I'll catch up with you later. I haven't even had a chance to talk to my mom yet."

Reyna hesitated. "I don't know if that's such a good idea..."

"It'll be fine," he reassured her. Percy wondered if she knew he was lying through his teeth. Reyna didn't seem to pick up on it, but he still felt awful.

"I don't like splitting up," she shook her head. "I have a bad feeling about it."

"Reyna, I will see you again. Don't worry."

She cast her eyes downward and laughed lightly. "Jeez. Okay."

"You should go back."

"And you should come with me," she pushed, nudging him with her shoulder. "But, okay. You better make it back,"

"I will."

"Pinky promise?"

He laughed again and linked their fingers together. "Yeah. I'll be back."

She laughed and pulled him in for a hug. "Bye,"

He took a deep breath. "Bye, Reyna."

**. . .**

"Hey, Perce," Grover bleated, running up to him. "I just had the most crazy—um, hi," he finished awkwardly, glancing at the girl standing next to him.

Lexi beamed. "Hi!"

Percy rolled his eyes at her bubbly attitude. "Grover, Lexi. Lexi, Grover. She's... a friend. I've known her for awhile."

"Lexi. Um... nice to meet you. Do you go here?"

"No," Lexi said simply, with no intention of explaining.

She'd been keeping her word: she did drop in, popping randomly out of the shadows and scaring him half to death. He had never been quite as close with her as he had been with Reyna, but Lexi always_ got it._ The two were born only one day apart—him on the eighteenth and her on the nineteenth. If there was anyone who understood, it was Lexi. She herself had been just on the verge of agreeing to transfer, but he beat her to it (not that she really minded). She never stayed long, but it broke up the year anyway, making the burden ever so slightly more bearable. She didn't stay at camp—only when it was absolutely necessary—her main reason for going most of the time had been to see him. They had both needed someone to unload on. True, Percy had Jason, but Jason was a year younger. As they had learned: a year made all the difference in the world when it came to war. When she was with Percy, she could catch a break; and thus her visits became more and more frequent, and gradually longer as well. It wasn't like they wanted one of Pluto's kids hanging around anyway.

Grover sniffed the air and his eyes narrowed on her.

"Problem, Grover?" Percy asked him, struggling to repress a laugh.

"Um... no. I don't... think so—it's just... um—is she...?" he stuttered, then shook his head. "Nothing. Nevermind."

"Enchiladas today," Percy reminded him, nodding at the growing lunch line that snaked around the room. "Better hurry."

Grover sucked in his cheeks and mumbled something, then ran off to the line.

Lexi arched an eyebrow. "Enchiladas?"

Percy splayed his hands. "Don't ask me."

"He almost had a seizure, or something," Lexi laughed, shaking her head. "We must smell."

"Reek, I'm sure."

"Aw, I feel bad. How much does he know?"

"He doesn't know anything," Percy specified. "He especially doesn't know that I know."

"That's quiet a secret you've got there." Lexi bit her lip, tapping her fingers on the lunch table. _"Secrets, _actually."

"And it's only going to get worse," Percy sighed, staring out the window. "I don't know if I really knew what I was agreeing to."

"Percy, it's not your fault. You didn't have a choice."

"Except I _did _have a choice, and I decided to lie. To everyone."

"You're not lying to me."

"You don't count."

"Gee, thanks Percy," Lexi said sarcastically. "But honestly, what could you have done? Even if you didn't agree, she would have forced you."

"That might be better though, because then I wouldn't have to feel guilty about it."

"You worry about everything but yourself, you know that?"

**. . .**

Unexpectedly and almost against his will, Percy started to appreciate the mortal world. It was hard not to, when it was surrounding you. He was both disgusted and amazed with their ignorance—they really had no idea. Jupiter and Neptune's fights had been labeled as some kind of freak weather pattern. Yeah right. He wished.

Aside from the Fury, monsters left him alone. Not that it mattered much anyway. Whether he was getting attacked or not, he still felt restless. Vulnerable. Cut off.

Still, almost without him noticing, he began to blend in (as much as a dyslexic, ADHD kid _can _blend in, actually). With every homework assignment, every lecture, every quiz that was passed out, he started to feel like maybe he _could _do this. After all, it'd been months without so much as a monster sighting.

But of course, he couldn't make it home safely. Something had to screw everything up, just like always.

The Fates cut the string. Percy didn't have much time to worry about whose string it is.

**. . .**

"It was strange," his mom told him, pulling a blue gummy worm out of the candy bag, "getting a call saying they were watching you."

"It was strange being watched." He was no stranger to being critiqued, but being sized up and tested was a different matter.

"I never knew what that was like," she sighed. "You were always on the other side of the country."

"Yeah, 'cause you kicked me out before I turned five," Percy teased.

"I was _supposed _to hand you over right after you were born, you know."

"I know, I know." He'd heard the story at least fifty times, but she still insisted on telling it once every visit.

"I wanted to keep you near me, but it just wasn't possible. I couldn't let you out of my sight." Sally's eyes got a little misty, but she turned her face away so Percy couldn't see. "You know, this is where we met."

"I wish you hadn't." The words came out before he could stop them, and he winced as soon as they were out of his mouth. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Yes, you did," Sally sighed. "I'm not surprised."

"Nah, I don't wanna be mortal." He did like knowing the truth, instead of blindly living life while people sacrificed themselves to save him. He liked being a hero.

"But?"

"Did it have to be _Neptune?"_

Sally chuckled. "I suppose it didn't _have _to be, but that's just the way it worked out."

"Apollo's pretty cool. And he meets a lot of women on the beach, too."

She laughed outright, throwing her head back. "God of poetry, too. I could see it."

"And then I wouldn't have to deal with any of this."

Sally pursed her lips. "Well Percy, that might be good for you," she said honestly, "but I think it would be really terrible for the rest of the world."

**. . .**

Percy knew he was in trouble, but he never would have expected to be followed by the Minotaur himself. He ripped his horn out for good measure. He'd hated the monster ever since the incident in the supermarket.

Finally, he was at Camp-Half Blood. After almost five years of Juno begging, arguing, training, fighting, and waiting, he was at Camp-Half Blood, for better or for worse.

He wasn't really sure how he felt about that.

**. . .**

He woke up feeling like crap, and cursing Juno. It took him a few minutes to place where he was: the camp infirmary. Then it all came crashing back.

_Crap. This is Camp Half-Blood. Crap crap crap._

Pretty sucky way to arrive, he would say. And again, it's all _Juno's _fault, because nobody should have to fight the Minotaur _unarmed. _She did it on purpose, obviously. Pay back because he told everyone she was his least favorite goddess (whoever said 'the truth hurts' was spot on).

His eyes focused on a glass on the table next to him. He recognized it instantly: nectar.

"Careful," said someone behind him. Grover. He'd really rather _not _talk to him right now, but it wasn't like he had a choice.

He ignored him anyway, instantly feeling better when he took a sip. He tuned Grover out for the most part, feeling depressed and unhappy: he shouldn't be here. His mother can't really be gone... mortals don't die that way... thoughts like that. Thoughts that would drive him insane if he didn't stop them.

"You've been out for two days. How much do you remember?" Grover finally said. He stifled a laugh. _Two days? That's it?_ After all, he's been out for much longer than two days_. _He couldn't say that, though. He asked about his mother, and then listened to Grover ramble on about what a hopeless failure of a protector he was. Percy wasn't in the mood to be a good friend and tell him it wasn't true, even though he didn't blame Grover. He may be the protector, but Percy was her _son, _and it had ultimately been his job.

To make him feel better, he toyed with Grover. It was terrible, he knew, but it was just so damn _fun _to watch him squirm and try to dodge Percy's questions. Lupa would be proud, and if he kept Grover occupied, he could delay his meeting with Chiron. There was still time to back out if he didn't speak with the centaur. Grover offered him the Minotaur horn. He took it grudgingly and cursed Juno in his head. No thunder, but he knew she heard.

It was definitely more beautiful there; he would give them that: picture perfect strawberry fields, beautiful architecture, rolling hills, perfect weather.

"Come on," Grover said finally; the words he'd been dreading. "Chiron and Mr. D are waiting."

Great. Just _great._

He noticed the campers first; bright orange shirts that so sharply contrasted with the deep purple he was so used to. Then the cabins. Beautiful architecture, but so obviously _Greek. _For the millionth time, he thought how wrong it was. _He should not be here. _The weirdest thing of all is that he was nothing to anybody. It was strange, being overlooked. Strange, but not unpleasant. He'd always been lacking in the power-hungry department.

Two men sat at the end of the porch, playing cards. The blonde chick was leaning against the porch rail behind them.

"That's Mr. D," Grover was saying. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And you already know Chiron..."

_Actually, _he already knew all of them. Dionysus, god of wine. He knew him as Bacchus, but still. He didn't know how much Juno had told him. As for the girl... well, he knew her _type._ A daughter of Minerva for sure... or rather, Athena. Probably an obnoxious brainiac who thought she knew everything.

Dionysus looked at him with bloodshot eyes and heaved a sigh.

"Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. Now don't expect me to be glad to see you."

"Uh, thanks," he muttered. He expected Dionysus said that to every camper, but still, the look in his eyes told Percy that he definitely knew exactly who he was, and he clearly meant to say he was not welcome.

"Annabeth?" Chiron called to blondie. She stepped forward. He resisted the urge to glare at her. Thinking of Riley helped slightly. They looked freakishly alike: same calculating expression, same stance and build, and their faces could be mistaken if their hair was the same color. Even the disapproving look she gave him just screamed _Riley!_ "This young lady nursed you back to health, Percy. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."

"Sure, Chiron." Blondie**—**Annabeth**—**answers. She couldn't be older than thirteen, but the way she spoke gave off the impression that she was much older.

"You drool when you sleep," is the only thing she said. Yep, obnoxious brainiac who thought she knows everything for sure.

"I must say Percy," Chiron turned back to him, "I'm glad to see you alive," Percy almost laughed when he said that. Chiron was happy when his campers survive. Lupa is the main reason that her campers _didn't _survive. They told the little kids that Lupa eating weak demigods was a myth, but Percy would be the first to tell you it really had happened more than once. "It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time."

"House call?"

"My year at Yancy Academy, to instruct you. We have satyrs at most schools, of course, keeping a lookout. But Grover alerted me as soon as he met you. He sensed you were something special, so I decided to come upstate. I convinced the other teacher to... ah, take a leave of absence."

"You came to Yancy just to teach me?"

"Honestly, I wasn't sure about you at first," _Yeah, and I'm still not sure about you, _he thought darkly. "We contacted your mother, let her know we were keeping an eye on you in case you were ready for Camp Half-Blood. But you still had so much to learn. Nevertheless, you made it here alive, and that's always the first test."

At least the first test was the same. But Percy highly doubted the second test would be whether or not you would be eaten by your future teacher. That didn't seem to fit Chiron's style.

Dionysus barked a few orders at Grover, who looked about to pass out. Percy almost felt bad for him. Almost. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure he knew why Chiron would make a house call to assist _Grover, _of all satyrs.

"You _do _know how to play pinochle?" Mr. D eyed him suspiciously.

"I'm afraid not."

"I'm afraid not _sir."_

"Sir."

"Well, it is, along with gladiator fighting and Pac-Man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans. I would expect all _civilized _young men to know the rules." He clearly referred to the Roman's brutal ways. Percy decided he liked Bacchus much better than Dionysus.

"I'm sure the boy can learn," Chiron said coolly.

"Please, what is this place? What am I doing here? Chiron, why would you go to Yancy Academy just to teach me?"

"Percy, did your mother tell you nothing?"

Percy so badly wanted to answer honestly, just to see Chiron's reaction._ No, she didn't tell me anything. She didn't have to; by the time I saw her again, I already knew everything. Lupa is very good at explaining things. _His mouth would drop open, and he'd demand to know how he knew about Lupa... instead, he just lied. It was easier than he expected. He'd met enough newbies to know how to act.

He kind of tuned the rest out, nodding absently in places that required a response. Juno had drilled him endlessly on how respond to certain situations. She'd be proud. He continued the conversation in a daze, thinking about his mother. His act was completely fake. But his grief was real_._

Finally, Chiron rose out of his wheelchair into his full centaur form, top half a man, bottom half a white stallion.

Chiron must have passed Percy's quiet mood off as pain from loss, which was more than fine with Percy. He wasn't in the mood for conversation. The only thing that really caught his attention was the cabins. They must have organized campers by godly parents here, which didn't make much sense to him. It was too unpredictable. He noticed that his cabin**—**the Poseidon cabin**—**was particularly nice, which was refreshing after hearing about all that son-of-Neptune-bad-omen crap. And, thank the gods: also empty.

Chiron caught sight of Annabeth, reading a book on the porch of what had to be the Hermes cabin. They made their way over to her. Riley would definitely never be caught reading a book. Another difference. Too bad. If Annabeth were like Riley, they might have a chance of getting along. Unfortunately, it seemed as though Percy tagged her exactly right. She looked over him skeptically.

"Annabeth, I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cabin eleven," Chiron said, gesturing back to the building. "Make yourself at home."

Percy glanced at Annabeth.

_Oh gods, just kill me now._

* * *

**[Edited 3/20/12]**


	4. That Crazy Little Thing Called Destiny

**Note: **Shout out to NoelAnderson, my one-hundredth reviewer!

* * *

_Chapter Three: That Crazy Little Thing Called Destiny_

In his time at Camp Jupiter, Percy had to deal with a _lot _of annoying kids. He'd seen basically all of the disbelief, stupidity, and bitterness he could possibly see in one lifetime. Newbies are right up there with monsters on the Avoid At All Costs Scale.

So, when he decided to combine every arrogant, obnoxious remark he'd ever gotten from a newbie into his response of "finding out" he was a half-blood, he only naturally felt a little bit guilty. It wasn't really _their _fault he had to be there; but at the same time, it was. So, he pushed the guilt down, because if he had to go through hell, he was dragging them along with him.

**. . .**

"This is difficult," Luke stressed. "I've had it used against me. No laughing at Percy, now. Most swordsmen have to work years to master this technique."

This time, he couldn't even conceal his laughter. He got a few strange looks, but everyone was mostly watching Luke. It _was _a difficult technique, and it _did _take a long time to master. And maybe Luke _was _the best swordsman the _Greeks_ had seen in three hundred years, but Percy had been trained twice as hard and twice as long as Luke had. Just in case you were wondering.

Luke advanced, and before he knew it, his sword was on the ground with Percy's sword at his throat. Luke studied him, obviously confused and not at all happy that a twelve year old just disarmed him without even trying. Percy smirked, but didn't do it again (but only because Juno would have his head if she found out).

It was things like that that kept him_ alive _and_ focused _here: messing with them. _Yes, _it was _very _immature. Yes, it was probably stupid as he _should _be trying to get along with them. And _no, _he would _not _stop_._

Blondie was the most fun. For someone so smart, she was really kind of gullible. On some days, he'd act like himself: quickly grasping the concepts of the myths he'd known his entire life. But on other days—the _fun _days—it was like she couldn't even comprehend how someone could not understand something so simple. She'd frown and her mouth would drop open and she'd go through it for the third, fourth, fifth time.

It was hysterical.

The worst of all of it was pretending to be friendly with Luke, when in reality, Percy was _disgusted _with him. Luke had it all. He didn't really know or care about Luke's history, but he doubted it even mattered. He'd heard some pretty horrific stories that he imagined were much worse than _anything _in Luke's worst nightmares. For someone to just turn their back on their friends, family, their entire _life _was just... it was _horrible. _And that was an understatement.

After the first few days or so, it grew extremely boring. It was an awkward stage—waiting to be "claimed" and to be offered a quest. The summer solstice was eerily close and rapidly getting closer, and it made him uneasy. It was pretty obvious that Chiron was too. Dionysus clearly had his "I don't care" act down to a science, but Percy could tell he was getting nervous as well. If Zeus' bolt wasn't returned soon, he was going to have to side with one of the fighting brothers. Whichever one he _didn't _pick would become an enemy in the future—and you definitely didn't want that. But as far as then went, Percy added it to his list of things that he wasn't _supposed _to know, but he did. Thankfully, he wouldn't have to pretend forever; only until they offer him a quest. But as for everything else... he was stuck pretending. Or faking, you could say. Or lying. Take your pick; because it didn't matter to him.

**. . .**

"It's been too long, Perseus," she sighed.

He silently agreed. Hera he couldn't stand, but he had always liked Vesta. Or Hestia. Whatever. Even the way she phrased things; the way she carried herself just made everything seem better. If Hera would have said that exact same thing, he would have responded angrily. It was just... _different _with Vesta, and it always had been.

"So..." she asked casually. "How do you like it here?"

Percy snorted. "Fine," he muttered, drawing out the word. "I hate it. They're not focused enough. They have no respect for the gods. They're obnoxious. They get their demigods when they're too old. And, I mean, really, how can they _not _know what's going on? And the Hermes cabin... what is up with _that? _And all the undetermined? Every _single _one of them is going to turn on them and we're going to _lose _this war."

Hestia blinked. "That's quite an opinion."

"Maybe I'm a little biased."

_"Really? _You don't say!" she exclaimed, her personality shifting into more of a Roman form. The goddess pursed her lips and slowly reached out to touch his arm, her fingers lingering on the mark the branded him as a Roman. Hestia looked up to meet his eyes.

"Look," she began with a slow exhale. "I do _not _expect you to agree with them in any way. We both knew that you'd hate it here—at first. _But,"_

_And here comes the speech... _he thought to himself. Not that he minded, really. Her advice was usually helpful and wise, but right now he didn't want to hear about what he _should _be doing or what he was doing wrong or whatever she was about to yell at him for. She caught on to his irritated body language and flashed a warm smile to ease the tension.

"You _do _need to accept them and adapt to the changes. I know you will eventually; it's only the first week. But I'm just warning you; if you're bitter, it'll get in the way of doing what you have to do."

He didn't respond, but he knew she was right.

Hestia suddenly cocked her head and frowned. "How did they not notice this?" She asked, touching his tattoo again. He shrugged, not really caring one way or another. The goddess snapped her fingers and created a small flame that danced across the tips of her nails.

He slowly backed away from her and she laughed. "It won't hurt," she promised, touching the skin on his forearm gently. Slowly, the tattoo vanished, but just as quickly appeared again. Percy frowned and looks up at her for an explanation. "It won't be completely invisible, but it'll do. For the most part, it won't be visible unless you want it to," she continued, while pulling her hand away. "Unless you meet someone who sees things as they are."

"Like... a mortal who can see through the Mist?"

"Yes, they would see it. But it doesn't quite work the same way as the Mist does. If someone unjaded looks at it, they'll see it. Someone free of burdens. Unfortunately, most people aren't like that, so you shouldn't have to worry about it."

"Is that why I can still see it?"

"Well... no. You can see it because you're a Roman."

"So mortals with the Sight, Romans, and unjaded people?"

She nodded. "Which brings me to the rest of my speech..."

Percy couldn't help but roll his eyes, but not obnoxiously (like he did with Hera). She chuckled. "Do you even know why you're here?"

"Because they 'need a leader'," he recited, using his fingers to make air quotes around the words.

She moved her head back and forth, as if to weigh the legitimacy of his answer. "Well... yes and no. See... right now, Luke is their leader. They might not even realize it. But when he turns on them at the end of the summer, the camp will crumble and fall if no one steps in and takes his place. The thing is... those are big shoes to fill. And nobody is willing to try." She paused for effect, carefully formulating her next words. "Destiny is a funny thing, Percy. As much as you're Roman, you're Greek too. You were born a Roman, but you were always meant to lead the Greeks. You were always meant to be _here, _to turn from everything you knew and step up to lead them. And you'll be a better leader than Luke _ever _was, or could ever hope to be. You were _born _to lead. When you talk, people listen. And when you believe in something; be it right or wrong, people _will _follow you. I _know _you're not happy right now, but you need to be open and accepting. There is a reason we chose you."

"And why is that?" he asked, though he had a feeling he knew what her answer would be.

"Because it's your destiny," she replied simply.

**. . .**

The days kind of passed in a depressing blur after his conversation with Hestia. Being accepting had never really come naturally to him in the first place, and any compassion he'd once had had pretty much been trained out of him. It was his natural instinct to reject anything that was different, but he forced himself to at least try to remain open. Each day, faking grew easier and easier, which almost scared him.

Days turned into weeks. He was claimed, finally. To the camp, it was a shock. To Percy, it was a message; his father telling him to, "get the damn bolt, already."

"You know what this means, right?" Hestia asked on that night. "The gods are getting restless, and if you don't step in, things are going to go downhill pretty fast. If Chiron doesn't address the matter soon, you're gonna have to just leave on your own,"

Percy didn't understand why he couldn't just leave. It would move things along a lot faster and he could have some breathing room. He didn't bother to voice any of it, not even when Lexi came by to ask how he was doing. It was a simple question Percy didn't know the answer to anymore.

"You have to take Annabeth," Vesta told him the night after a rain storm hit Camp Half-Blood. Percy barely had the energy to protest. Vesta wouldn't allow him to win an argument anyway, so there was really no point in complaining.

"And you know, maybe if you would quit torturing the poor girl, you might actually like her," Vesta admonished before vanishing in a wave of heat and flame.

Percy huffed. "Yeah, that'll happen."

**. . .**

"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done."

It didn't matter. He needed to get out of here, and if it was by packing his bags for the Underworld, then so be it. It was exhausting to fake something all the time, for weeks in a row. There was a part of him that wanted to not hate it so much. But there was also a part of him that hoped he would never start to like it, because then he wouldn't be... him. He was a Roman. If he lost that part of himself... well, then what did he really have left?

"Done... with what?"

"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?"

_Yes, yes, hell yes, I thought you'd never ask..._

The minutes were painful as Chiron supposedly "told" Percy all the details. He probably knew the details better than Chiron, and maybe even Dionysus. Gods, they were ignorant here.

Percy hated playing the waiting game. He had never gotten along with Jupiter; his uncle was far too stubborn to ever respect him as a hero, and Percy was far to stubborn to respect Jupiter as a god. If the Sky God had anything; anything at all to use against him, he would. He liked to believe that the gods would realize that he would never do something like that, but over the years he had figured out that the gods didn't act logically. Even Athena often allowed her personal opinions get in the way of her decisions from time to time (though nobody was stupid enough to say that out loud). Especially when they were in their Greek forms. Even worse, their Americanized Greek forms. With every move they made, the gods changed a little bit. They slowly got more and more reckless and less and less powerful. They made important decisions with gradually increasing haste, caring less with each one. They respected almost no one but themselves anymore, and it showed. It was... _unsettling._

It started to rain again. The heavy droplets pounded on the ground with a relentless pressure.

"All right," he said eventually, though he was itching to leave. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."

Which was not necessarily true in his current state of mind. Dolphins didn't have to fulfill prophecies.

"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."

Percy noted Chiron's nonchalant tone. He didn't know much about Oracles. They were very unpredictable, so the Romans never used them. Augurs were much more reliable and considerably less freaky. Still, Percy had heard all too much about that Oracle. Most of it was rumors, but the last thing he really wanted was to go find out if they were true.

The attic was eery. It smelled like reptiles and musk, and something told him nobody had been up there for quite some time. It was filled with tons of junk from Greek heroes: armor, swords, shields, etcetera. It was still so strange seeing it displayed proudly on the walls, when back at camp they would've burned it; laughing.

By the window, sitting on a stool, was a mummified Oracle. It was a horrific sight, really. Her eyes were just glassy-white slits, but he had the feeling they were staring right at him; piercing straight through him. Apparently the rumors were true.

Mist pours out of her mouth, coiling around his feet like snakes. He heard a voice. The mummy—the Oracle—wasn't actually talking, but like Lupa, he could hear her. Or _it_, rather.

_I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask._

He paused, considering. "What is my destiny?" he asked finally. It was a question to himself as much as her. He knew she would just spout a prophecy about his latest quest, but he wished she would give him some form of guidance. _Destiny is a funny thing,_ Hestia had said.

Suddenly there are four men sitting around the table, playing cards; an illusion of the green smoke. Gabe and his hideous friends. Why she would choose them and not his Roman friends; he doesn't really know. Maybe she was saying that that part of his life is over... for now, at least.

_You shall go west, and face the god who has turned._

_You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned._

_You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend._

_And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end._

Oh, how lovely. Prophecies often had double meanings. Sometimes the answer was staring you straight in the face. Sometimes it was right under your nose. Or sometimes the words were twisted so you would never think of it that way, so that you couldn't have possibly deciphered it before the events actually came to pass. As usual, he so desperately wanted to know more, but he knew it was useless.

His audience with the Oracle was over.

Chiron was nosy as ever, but he didn't get anything much out of Percy. Grover was trembling as the details of the quest slowly unravel and it dawned on him that they were headed to the Underworld.

"You don't have to go," Percy tried telling him. "I can't ask that of you. " No such luck; looks like he was stuck dragging Annabeth and Grover along with him. Speaking of Blondie...

The air shimmered behind Chiron. Annabeth became visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket.

"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain," she said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."

Anger flashed through him so intensely it was hard not to get up and smack her. Had she been a guy, he would've without a second thought. Reyna would murder him if she heard him say that out loud. _You sexist pig! What, a girl can't take a punch?_

He missed her. He missed her a lot.

"If you do say so yourself," he snarled, struggling to keep his temper. She had no idea what he's capable of. Oh, and how many quests had she been on? Right, none. "I suppose you have a plan, wise girl?"

Her cheeks colored.

"A trio," Percy sighed. "That'll work."

Unless it wouldn't, in which case they were screwed. They would probably end up killing each other, and it was pretty much a suicide mission.

"Excellent," Chiron said a bit too eagerly for Percy's taste. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own."

Ooh, ominous music, right? Please.

**. . .**

Obviously, it didn't take long to pack. Just a change of clothes, some ambrosia, and a few drachmas. If he didn't get his sword back soon, he really might lose it. Being unarmed made him feel anxious; understandably.

They waved good-bye to the other campers, took one last look at the strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hiked up Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, Daughter of Zeus.

Chiron was waiting for them in his fake wheelchair. Next to him stood Argus, head of security. Chiron introduced them and told them he would be driving them. Percy turned to the sound of footsteps behind them. It was Luke, running up the hill and carrying a pair of sneakers.

"Hey!" he panted. "Glad I caught you."

Aren't you now, traitor?

Annabeth blushed like she always did when he was around.

"Just wanted to say good luck," Luke told Percy. "And I thought... um, maybe you could use these."

Percy was automatically suspicious, and he had a good reason. He didn't want anything Luke had had his filthy hands on.

"Maia!" Luke commanded, and the shoes sprouted wings and started flitting about like drunken pegasi.

"Awesome!" Grover exclaimed.

Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days..." His expression turned sad. The shoes triggered memories for Percy as well. Nick had a pair just like them. He wished, for about the billionth time, that he was going on this quest with him and Reyna, instead of two Greeks.

"Listen, Percy..." Luke looked almost pained. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just... kill some monsters for me, okay?"

Yeah right. What he really meant was, _I hope you don't come back so I don't have to deal with you myself._

Percy and Luke shook hands. Luke patted Grover's head between his horns, then gave a good-bye hug to Annabeth, who looked like she might pass out.

After Luke is gone, Percy told her, "You're hyperventilating."

"I am not!"

"You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?"

"Oh... why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy Jackson?"

She stomped down the other side of the hill, where a white SUV waited on the shoulder of the road. Argus followed, jingling his car keys.

Percy picked up the flying shoes like they were poisonous (they might have been, for all he knew). "I won't be able to use these, will I?"

It was more of a statement than a question, really, but Chiron went ahead and answered it anyway.

"Luke meant well, Percy. But taking to the air... that would not be wise for you." Actually, Luke probably did not mean well. But for some reason, he didn't want to just throw the shoes away. So he handed them to Grover.

Before Percy could follow, Chiron caught his arm. "I should have trained you better, Percy," he said. "If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason—they all got more training." Percy only just barely suppressed a laugh.

"That's okay, I just wish..." He let his voice trail off, desperately hinting at Riptide.

"Oh, what am I thinking?" Chiron said suddenly. "I can't let you get away without this!"

Mission accomplished. Finally.

He pulled a small bronze pen out of his pocket, and handed it to him.

"Percy, that's a gift from your father. I've kept it for years, not knowing you were who I was waiting for. But the prophecy is clear to me now. You are the one."

"The sword has a long and tragic history that we need not go into," Chiron continued. "Its name is Anaklusmos."

"Riptide," Percy translated, uncapping it and fingering the wickedly sharp blade. Of course, he knew all about this sword. He was still a little bit bent out of shape about having to switch swords, but that was the least of his worries.

"...And I should warn you: as a demigod, you can be killed by either celestial or normal weapons. You are twice as vulnerable."

He didn't mention imperial gold, Percy noted. He continued talking to Chiron for a little while longer, playing dumb about stuff he already knew. He finally capped Riptide and placed it back in his pocket.

"Chiron..." He began, experimenting. He wondered exactly how much Chiron knew. "When you say the gods are immortal... I mean, there was a time before them, right?"

"Four ages before them, actually. The Time of the Titans was the Fourth Age, sometimes called the Golden Age, which is definitely a misnomer. This, the time of Western civilization and the rule of Zeus, is the Fifth Age."

"So what was it like... before the gods?" The question didn't seem to bother Chiron. He'd figured out over the past few weeks that Chiron wasn't a very good actor, so he probably knew even less than the gods.

"Even I am not old enough to remember that, child, but I know it was a time of darkness and savagery for mortals. Kronos, the lord of the Titans, called his reign the Golden Age because men lived innocent and free of all knowledge. But that was mere propaganda. The Titan king cared nothing for your kind except as appetizers or a source of cheap entertainment. It was only in the early reign of Lord Zeus, when Prometheus the good Titan brought fire to mankind, that your species began to progress, and even then Prometheus was branded a radical thinker. Zeus punished him severely, as you may recall. Of course, eventually the gods warmed to humans, and Western civilization was born."

"But the gods can't die now, right? I mean, as long as Western civilization is alive, they're alive. So... even if I failed, nothing could happen so bad it would mess up everything, right?"

He knew he probably sounds like a little kid. He wasn't talking about this specific quest, he was talking about the Great Prophecy as a whole. Sadly, if he did fail, it would mess up everything. But right now, he didn't want to hear that.

Chiron gave him a melancholy smile. "No one knows how long the Age of the West will last, Percy. The gods are immortal, yes. But then, so were the Titans. They still exist, locked away in their various prisons, forced to endure endless pain and punishment, reduced in power, but still very much alive. May the Fates forbid that the gods should ever suffer such a doom, or that we should ever return to the darkness and chaos of the past. All we can do, child, is follow our destiny."

There was that word again.

"Our destiny... assuming we know what that is."

He sighed and trekked down the hill, feeling more weighed down than ever.

**. . .**

"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight—" Annabeth protested.

"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?" He couldn't just leave them behind. It was pathetic to run from a fight and let others defend you. And, as much as he hated it, he couldn't accomplish this quest without them.

"You didn't need to protect me, Percy. I would've been fine."

"Sliced like sandwich bread," Grover put in, "but fine."

Percy studied Grover for a moment. For the first time, it occurred to him that Grover might not be that bad after all. The realization hit him suddenly and almost made him feel... ashamed. All he had to really do was tack "faun" onto him and Percy never would've had a problem in the first place. Annabeth on the other hand... well, he doubted they'd ever get along. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was people acting like they were above him. His reasons went beyond pride or arrogance, it just didn't seem fair that people could write him off as stupid or unworthy before they'd even met him. Percy had never had a problem with insults, but he would never allow people shove him into the mold they'd concocted.

"Shut up, goat boy," Annabeth muttered.

They continued to walk in silence, until Annabeth matched his pace. "Look, I..." her voice faltered, and she took a deep breath. "I really appreciate you coming back for us, okay? That was really brave."

He kept his eyes forward, analyzing the legitimacy of her words. "We're a team, right?" It was one of the only honest things he's ever said to her.

"It's just that if you died... aside from the fact that it would really suck for you, it would mean the quest was over. This may be my only chance to see the real world."

"You haven't left Camp Half-Blood since you were seven?" Percy asked slowly.

"No... only short field trips. My dad—"

"The history professor."

"Yeah. It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood _is _my home." Her words came rushing out so quickly they stumbled over each other.

She really had no idea how lucky she was. It pissed him off a little, sure, but it also made him kind of... sad. It depressed him when people couldn't see how good they really had it.

"At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not."

It was a good point. Camp could only give you so much help. He'd learned that only very recently, after another lengthy fight. Jason was skilled, and they were almost matched. Their duels always lasted for outrageously long periods of time, sometimes gathering crowds that dispersed after they realized the winner wasn't coming out anytime soon. Percy generally won, but only because he tended to get bored and reckless. Jason liked to play by the rules.

_Yes, Jason, that's technically against the rules, _the praetor, Olivia, had said after Percy had won a rather shady victory. _but I don't think the rules really matter once your opponent has a sword at your throat._

Life had rules, sure. But monsters didn't play by them.

"You're pretty good with that knife," Percy admitted.

"You think so?"

"Anybody who can piggyback-ride a Fury is okay by me."

He couldn't see her clearly, but he could swear he caught her smile. The thing is... he actually meant it.

**. . .**

The last time he was there, he was with Gwen and Ethan. Percy and Ethan both hated LA: the people were nasty, and it was _swarming _with celebrities, cameras, and people even weirder than the ones in New York. Gwen, being Gwen, adored the place. She'd somehow talked both boys into traveling through LA, simply because she was bored. They'd spent the entire time running rampant through the streets of the enormous city, hiding and slaughtering monsters; their boisterous laughter echoing off the buildings. They eventually collapsed on the sidewalk, laughing hysterically.

Nobody but them knew about that day. He hoped Gwen and Ethan would keep it that way.

A year later, accompanied by two _very _different people, he still didn't like Los Angeles. It would never be San Francisco, and it would certainly never be New York, but the memory made him smile.

**. . .**

"Father," he sighed, kneeling before Neptune. Or Poseidon, rather. The difference between the Sea God's forms was more pronounced than many of the other Olympians. The ocean is an ever-changing mystery: enchanting, but forbidding. Stunning and gorgeous, yet deadly. One side is reckless, wild, and dangerous, while the other is calm and collected. As powerful as Zeus was, those were qualities he would never posses. The Lord of the Sky was not nearly as versatile as his brother. Perhaps that was why he viewed his brother as such a threat. People were... enticed by the ocean. Poseidon drew people in.

"Should you not address the master of this house first, boy?" Zeus snapped. Percy kept his head down, but rolled his eyes. Shoulda woulda coulda, but he didn't, and he wasn't going to.

"Peace, brother," Poseidon said calmly. "The boy defers to his father. This is only right."

That was the way it had always been. If Zeus thought going to the Greeks would ever change that, he needed a reality check.

"You still claim him then?" Zeus demanded menacingly. "You claim this child whom you sired against our sacred oath?"

Ever the hypocrite. He sired _two._ The conversation was ever present. Percy's relationship with Jupiter had always been rocky. He was sired against the oath, yes, but he hated the way Zeus lead, and went out of his way to offend him. It wasn't smart, he knew, but he could care less. The only Olympians against him were Jupiter and Minerva (Now Ares is against him as well; but it's pretty easy to figure out that Ares is all talk). There was no way the Council would ever take action against him (he _thinks_)_._

"I have admitted my wrongdoing," Poseidon replied frostily. "Now I would hear him speak."

Wrongdoing. Way to make your kid feel all warm and fuzzy inside._ Gee, Dad, thanks. Remind me why I'm always saving your sorry ass, will you?_

"I have spared him once already," Zeus grumbled. "Daring to fly through my domain ... pah! I should have blasted him out of the sky for his impudence."

"And risk destroying your own master bolt?" Poseidon asked calmly. "Let us hear him out, brother."

Zeus grumbled some more. "I shall listen," he decided. "Then I shall make up my mind whether or not to cast this boy down from Olympus."

"Perseus," Poseidon ordered. "Look at me."

He winced at his name. It was like nails on a chalkboard for him. It was not the first time he had met his father, but it was one of his only. He looked up, putting years of hatred, disapproval, and anger in his eyes. Every thought he'd ever had against his father ran through his mind again, every time he was left on the outside for being better than the others, every time that a child of Zeus got what he _deserved; _what he had worked for.

"Address Lord Zeus, boy," Poseidon said finally. "Tell him your story."

So he told Zeus everything, just as it happened. Slowly Percy retrieved the metal cylinder, crackling and sparking in the Sky God's presence.

There was a long silence, broken only by the crackle of the hearth fire.

Zeus opened his palm and the bolt flew into it. As he closed his fist, the metallic points flared with electricity, until he was holding what looked more like the classic thunderbolt, a twenty-foot javelin of arcing, hissing energy.

"I sense the boy tells the truth," Zeus muttered under his breath.

After so many years of serving them, it still shocked Percy how little respect they had for their heroes. Had he _ever _lied to them before? Why wouldn't he be telling the truth?

"But that Ares would do such a thing... it is most unlike him."

"He is proud and impulsive," Poseidon growled. "It runs in the family."

"Lord?" Percy interjected.

"Yes?" the two gods answered in unison.

"Ares didn't act alone. Someone else—some_thing_ else—came up with the idea." He saw recognition flare behind Zeus's eyes. He was treading on dangerous territory, but _someone_ needed to address the issue.

He described all his dreams, and the feeling he'd had on the beach, that momentary breath of evil that had seemed to stop the world, as well as the activity on Mount Tam. He didn't even bother mentioning Luke; they would find out soon enough.

"In the dreams," Percy continued warily, "the voice told me to bring the bolt to the Underworld. Ares hinted that he'd been having dreams, too. I think he was being used, just as I was, to start a war."

"You are accusing Hades, after all?" Zeus demanded. Percy took a deep breath, struggling not to snap at Zeus. He hated the god, but he had no wish to turn into a pile of fried, smoking molecules.

"No," He said firmly. "Lord Zeus, I've been in the presence of Hades. This feeling on the beach was different. It was the same thing I felt when I got close to that pit. That was the entrance to Tartarus. Something powerful and evil is stirring down there... something even older than the gods. You can't avoid it any longer. It's inevitable."

Zeus and Poseidon had a quick discussion in Ancient Greek, until Zeus held up his hand angrily. "We will speak of this no more," he ordered. Percy gritted his teeth, but kept his mouth shut.

"I must go personally to purify this thunderbolt in the waters of Lemnos, to remove the human taint from its metal."

Zeus rose and studied the young hero at his feet. His expression softened just a fraction of a degree. "You have done me a service, boy. Few heroes could have accomplished as much."

Saying Percy was shocked would be an understatement, but he maintained his composure. "I had help, sir," he forced himself to say. "Grover Underwood and Annabeth Chase."

Zeus nodded thoughtfully. "To show you my thanks, I shall spare your life. I do not trust you, Perseus Jackson. I do not like what your arrival means for the future of Olympus. But for the sake of peace in the family, I shall let you live."

They really might want to start treating heroes better. It was no mystery to Percy why Luke joined the Titans, which could only mean hundreds of demigods would follow suit. Heroes were under appreciated and disregarded far too often. After all the times he'd risked his life to help them out, after every little _errand _he'd run for the gods, Zeus still didn't trust him.

"Um... thank you, sir," Percy managed to get out.

"Do not presume to fly again. Do not let me find you here when I return. Otherwise you shall taste this bolt. And it shall be your last sensation."

Thunder shook the palace. With a blinding flash of lightning, Zeus vanished.

"Your uncle," Poseidon sighed, "has always had a flair for dramatic exits. I think he would've done well as the god of theater."

"Sir," Percy attempted, "what was in that pit?"

It was not really a question, he just wanted to see a god actually stand up and face it, for once.

"Have you not guessed?" Poseidon cleverly stepped around answering.

"Kronos. King of the Titans."

Even in the throne room of Olympus, far away from Tartarus, the name _Kronos_ darkened the room, made the hearth fire seem not quite so warm.

Poseidon gripped his trident. "In the First War, Percy, Zeus cut our father Kronos into a thousand pieces, just as Kronos had done to his own father, Ouranos. Zeus cast Kronos's remains into the darkest pit of Tartarus. The Titan army was scattered, their mountain fortress on Etna destroyed, their monstrous allies driven to the farthest corners of the earth. And yet Titans cannot die, any more than we gods can. Whatever is left of Kronos is still alive in some hideous way, still conscious in his eternal pain, still hungering for power."

"He's healing," Percy insisted, annoyed. "He's coming back."

Poseidon shook his head firmly. "From time to time, over the eons, Kronos has stirred. He enters men's nightmares and breathes evil thoughts. He wakens restless monsters from the depths. But to suggest he could rise from the pit is another thing."

"That's what he intends, Father. That's what he said."

Poseidon didn't speak for a long time.

"Lord Zeus has closed discussion on this matter. He will not allow talk of Kronos. You have completed your quest, child. That is all you need to do."

"As you wish," Percy just barely managed to utter the words. "_Father," _

There was so much venom and malice combined into that one word that the Sea God winced, although a faint smile played on his lips. "Obedience never did come naturally to you."

Percy didn't respond. Of course he'd been told that before, but people just had to keep throwing it back in his face.

"I must take some blame for that, I suppose. The sea does not like to be restrained." He rose to his full height and took up his trident. Then he shimmered and became the size of a regular man, standing directly in front of his son. "You must go, child. But first, know that your mother has returned. You will find her at home. Hades sent her when you recovered his helm. Even the Lord of Death pays his debts."

Unless he found a loophole, which he nearly always did. But that didn't matter. His mother was alright. His mother was _home, _waiting for him, right where she should be. Safe. Percy found himself sighing with relief, and realized just how worried about her he truly was.

Poseidon's eyes took on a little sadness. "When you return home, Percy, you must make an important choice. You will find a package waiting in your room."

Percy arched an eyebrow. "A package?"

"You will understand when you see it. No one can choose your path, Percy," Poseidon sighed. "Not even Juno, though she will try. _You _must decide."

It seemed as though she already had. He was just so hopelessly _confused _he felt like he had no choice but to follow her instructions.

"Your mother is a queen among women," Poseidon said wistfully. "I had not met such a mortal woman in a thousand years. Still... I am sorry you were born, child. I have brought you a hero's fate, and a hero's fate is never happy. It is never anything but tragic."

Percy didn't respond, only let the weight of Poseidon's words sink in. He knew that. It was something no half-blood could ignore.

Percy slowly turned to leave, bowing and saying only a slightly awkward goodbye. He made it about five steps away, when he heard, "Perseus." He still tensed at the sound, but not as much as usual. His name was a part of who he was. Percy turned, slowly. He saw... _pride _in his father's eyes. That would be a first.

"You did well, Perseus. Do not misunderstand me. Whatever else you do, know that you are mine. You are a true son of the Sea God."

As he walked back through the Olympic City, all activity stopped. The citizens of Mount Olympus turned and knelt for him, their faces filled with gratitude.

**. . .**

"So the Mighty Percy Jackson has returned from his quest," Lexi mused, sitting down next to him at the beach.

"Hey, Casper," he replied. He was actually in a good mood for the first time since he left Camp Jupiter, and even her teasing didn't bother him. He studied her expression. "What's wrong?"

She shrugged, throwing her hands up in an annoyed gesture. "It's been a long time, Percy." She said quietly.

He sighed. "Yeah... I know... there's a lot of time left?" He replied, not quite understanding what she was getting at. She knew he had to stay until he turned sixteen.

"They're really worried."

It was like someone flicked a light switch from on to off. His demeanor immediately darkened. "I don't want to talk about this."

She backed off. "Okay, okay. Fine. I just thought you should know."

Percy stared at the waves. They were only a _little _bit higher than usual. Really.

"Look," she said softly. "I know this is hard for you. I can't imagine what it must be like. I... I really admire you for doing this."

He blinked and slowly turned to face her, meeting her eyes.

She did her signature shoulder bump. "Don't get too used to the compliments. It's just... I chickened out, and you stood up and faced it. That shouldn't be taken lightly." She shifted awkwardly. "I don't want you to just drop off the face of the planet. I feel like I have some kind of duty to keep you in the loop."

"Are they really that upset?"

She nodded, her eyes wide. "You have _no idea, _believe me."

Percy groaned and bit his lip.

"I'm sure Reyna will come back to New York soon. You may want to let your mom know..."

"I don't want to lie to her, Lex."

"But you may have to," she said softly. She gave a tentative smile and a hug. "I should go. See you soon." She stood up and ran up the beach, vanishing into the shadows of the forest.

**. . .**

The days passed under a thick haze of summer heat and fake smiles. He really couldn't tell you anything much that happened after his quest; the days all bled together in a pathetic excuse for a memory, a depressing blur. He longed for the times when Lexi dropped in. He'd become quite dependent on her, and he didn't particularly like it, but it was so refreshing to drop the act for a little while and have an honest conversation. She was the only one who knew the truth, and it just felt good to have her around. He ached for home—his home, the only home that he'd ever known.

He went through the motions of being a normal Greek, alarmed when they started to have meaning. He was kind of happy that he can accept the Greeks... hating ate up a lot of energy. But it also scared the heck out of him. He was at war with himself, unable to decide what he should do or how he should be feeling. And before he had to make a final decision, he was heading back to Manhattan. He could finally breathe again. He could finally stop faking everything and it just felt so damn good that he didn't know how he would be able to make himself go back next summer. But he would just have to cross that bridge when he came to it.

**. . .**

Her lips curled back over her teeth and a low growl escaped her throat. She flicked her tail sharply, slicing through the air and making a shrill sound. She growled again and snapped her jaw together. Slowly, she turned and fixed her eyes on the goddess before her. She bore her teeth and made a low, continuing rumble in her throat that only grew louder as the goddess explained.

"I do not agree with this, Juno," the wolf replied frostily, each word like the snap of a breaking icicle.

A raspy, dark chuckle came from Juno. "I don't care, Lupa. It's not yours to decide. Maybe you should blame your precious little camper."

Lupa inhaled sharply and looked away from the goddess in an attempt to calm herself down. "I do not blame him," she answered bitterly, each word forced. "because it is not his fault."

Juno snorted and shrugged. "I gave him a choice. He didn't choose you."

The wolf looked down and sighed heavily. "You might've given him a choice, but did you let him choose?"

The goddess arched an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Well, knowing you, you probably gave him a choice, but set it up in a way that he couldn't say no."

Juno laughed again. "But of course. Is there any other way?''

Lupa studied her face, then shook her head sadly and looked away.

**. . .**

The first time you get attacked by a monster after leaving camp always sucked, no matter which camp you were from. When you were in the mortal world, you could at the very least put your demigod life on hold, if not forget it completely for awhile. But a monster attack always jarred you back to reality; reminded who you were and were you _should _be right then: helping out at camp_, _solving some godly problems, etcetera. But it was about a million times worse when you didn't feel much devotion to the people you were supposed to be helping.

Sadly, faking everything had become a routine. He didn't even think about it anymore. Like an actor, he slipped into this character; this... this fake-self that he had created who said things without thinking and _looks_ like he didn't know what he was doing, who fought with a celestial bronze sword and wore an orange camp t-shirt and a clay bead necklace. It was so easy that he actually started to wonder how much of it was really fake. He always came up with the same blank wall of _nothing._

And this is what was running through his head while he should be concentrating on, oh, I don't know, _staying alive? _Or, you know, keeping the giant bronze fire-breathing bulls from invading and destroying the camp? But hey, he managed to do both without concentrating at all. Or, rather, the other campers and Tyson managed to do both with a little of his help, but who's counting? He would've stepped in if he had to.

Thalia's Pine Tree was in a less-than-awful state; the branches drooping, shriveled, and yellow; a huge pile of pine needles covering the ground underneath it. In the center of the trunk, you could see the poison still oozing out of it, slowly choking the life from the tree and the camp alike. He'd heard about it, from Hera (who had refused to come to him as Juno ever since his first day at camp, and wouldn't stand to hear her Roman name), naturally, but it was still kind of shocking to see this place in such a sorry state. It was slightly depressing too. He realized that he missed the way it was last summer, even though in this state the camp is a bit more like the Roman camp. That sort of attitude simply didn't suit the Greeks. It was odd to see them so somber. And it actually kind of bothered him—somberness didn't suit them—but he shoved the feeling down and refused to think about it anymore.

**. . .**

"You can't _do _that," she insisted, her lip quivering ever so slightly, just a touch of vulnerability showing in her eyes.

"Control yourself, girl_,_" Olivia snapped, firmly setting her jaw. "You heard me. We need all the help we can get, and I'm _not _wasting my campers on fruitless searches."

"But maybe they won't _be _fruitless! You can't just... give up like that!"

"You remember who your talking to," she ordered venomously, holding the camper's disapproving gaze. "And I absolutely can. Watch me," she paused momentarily. "And in my opinion, there's no point in searching for someone who doesn't want to be found."

"That doesn't even make any sense! He has no reason to leave! You _know _he would _never _just _abandon _us!" Reyna shouted, not even afraid of Olivia's response.

Olivia glanced maliciously at the empty throne beside her. It was her co-praetor's job to handle the campers' problems. She preferred to glide over the situations and focus on the bigger picture. She needed to keep the camp up and running. The other praetor was always telling her she was too sensitive to be dealing with the kids anyway, and this only proved him right, but Olivia had a persona to keep up, and she intended to do it.

"I'll admit it seems out of character for Percy," Olivia stated calmly, "but until you can produce a more logical reason, we're going to have to cut off searches."

She hated to do it. For gods' sakes, Percy was just a little kid the last time she'd seen him. A child. But he still gave Olivia a run for her money on the camp knowledge and was an admirable swordsman. He was so innocent. So _young. _She remembered the way he used to stroll into the _principa_ like he owned the place, and when he looked her in the eye Olivia hadn't doubted that the _principa _would indeed be his someday. It seemed like such a waste of a hero to her. Percy could've really been something. Still, the sensible voice inside her nagged that he couldn't be helped now.

"You don't even _care!" _Reyna shrieked, outraged, catching her teacher by surprise. Reyna was never one to act out—that was always Percy's job. She wasn't even technically a camper, giving her even more reason not to push the boundaries. Reyna smashed her fist on the table, cursing under her breath as she stalked out of the room, not waiting to be dismissed.

She looked so miserable Olivia can't bring herself to punish her.

**. . .**

"So what, we're under like, _house arrest _or something?" Gwen asked.

"Seems like it," Reyna admitted tiredly. All of the anger-fueled energy has drained out of her, leaving her like a deflated balloon: sad and useless.

"That's ridiculous," Gwen insisted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Riley bit her lip. "Well... it's been almost two yea—" the glares from the other two girls silenced her. She cast her eyes down.

"September," Reyna said quietly. "So it's been twenty-two months."

"I'm just saying, I can see where she's coming from," Riley admitted.

Gwen took a deep breath. "She may be right, Rey," she whispered, as if afraid that saying it out loud would make it true. "I mean... two years without a trace..." she pressed, choking slightly on the words. "Maybe he's..."

"He's _not _dead, Gwen," she argued stubbornly.

"Reyna, you're not the only one that's upset, but you have to face the facts sooner or later. I mean... you're kinda losing it."

"Wow, thanks, guys," she remarked dryly, running a hand through her hair frustratedly.

"Look, Reyna. I'm not saying he's dead—" Gwen tried

"Yes you are!" She argued, cutting her friend off. "That's _exactly _what you're saying! And I'm telling you, you're _wrong." _Her voice edged into slight hysteria—gods, even to _herself _she sounded crazed. _Oh gods_, maybe she _was _losing it.

"How do you know?" Riley challenged fiercely, her gray eyes dull and lifeless.

"Because I just... _know." _Reyna admitted, her eyes downcast. "I can _feel _it. And you guys know my intuition is almost never wrong."

Neither girl had the heart to answer.

"If... if he was dead... I would _know. _I just... somehow I _know _he's still out there alive."

**. . .**

"Remind me why you're here?'' He mused, laughing. She sighed.

"How many reasons do you want?"

Percy paused to consider. "All of them.''

Lexi chuckled. "Okay, well, number one, I'm bored,"

Percy rolled his eyes.

"It's just number one!" She defended herself. "Two, you're my friend, and I like being with you."

"Oh_ really?"_

"Shut up. You know I didn't mean like that," she whined, punching him in the arm, although she was struggling not to laugh. "Three, the praetors like, went insane last night and put us on like, house arrest or something," she cut off the question he was about to ask by holding up her hand, "so I'm hiding out here. Four, I'm kinda worried about you, to be honest,"

"Why?" he demanded, before she had a chance to silence him again.

"_'_Cause you're not yourself lately... you haven't been for months. Sometimes you look like you're considering throwing yourself off a building."

Percy merely looked at her. "Oh, come on, Lex."

"No seriously! You look sad." she insisted. "Anyway, five, I'd say we have about a day before they ask me if you're dead, and I have _no _idea what to tell them... and _six, _I have things I need to tell you, as always."

"What do you mean, house arrest?"

"She won't let us leave. Which also means, lucky you, we're calling off searches."

Percy frowned, considering this. "Um... why?" he asked finally.

Lexi shrugged. "Things are getting really nasty. Mount Othrys is growing like, crazy fast, and they don't want us out of their sight. But I'm pretty sure at least one of them knows where you are and doesn't see the point in letting them search if she knows they won't find you."

His frown deepened.

"See! There's the look again."

"Do you want me to be happy about that?"

"Well, no, but it'd be nice to see you happy in general."

"Look who's talkin'."

"Oh, shut up." she said again, flitting her hand as if to wave him off. "Anyway, when they ask, what am I supposed to say?"

He spread his hands. "I have no idea."

_"Peercyy," _she wined, drawing out the word. "You're not helping!"

He sighed. "Alright alright, fine! Just tell them I'm dead."

Her eyes grew wide. "I can't tell them that! They'll be distraught!"

"They're obviously pretty convinced, or they wouldn't bother to ask. They've already faced it."

"Oh, but you know Riley. She makes all these horrible hypothesis things, but when she's proven right, she's absolutely miserable. And Gwen's petrified of finding out for sure—most of them are. Everyone's all depressed, and if they find out you're _dead, _it's only gonna get worse."

"But then they can move on."

"Yeah, great plan, except you're not really dead!" she said sarcastically. "Eventually you're coming back, and you don't want them to be totally over you when you do."

"I'll deal with that in a few years," he argued, unfazed. Lexi took a breath and didn't say anything for awhile. "Okay, fine," she began softly, her voice just above a whisper, "but you have Reyna to think about. I honestly don't think she'll believe me. She's absolutely positive you're alive—and she's right."

He sighed and bit his lip, sadness seemingly aging his face. "So let her not believe you, then. Nobody will take her word over yours."

"But then she'll look like a crazy person!"

"Then that's the way it has to be," he said bitterly. They sat in silence for a few minutes. "And what about the news?"

"I already told you most of it. But Mount Othrys is looking like a serious threat. No Roman half-bloods—that I know of, at least—have joined, but the army's huge and growing anyway."

He shifted nervously, and she nodded understandingly. "So if anyone goes missing, search San Francisco," she informed, laughing.

* * *

**[Edited 4/8/12]**


	5. Of Morals, Safe Houses, and Spas

_Chapter Four: Of Morals, Safe Houses, and Spas_

Annabeth turned the plate over and over again in her hands. She continued to scrub it, even though it looked pretty spotless to Percy. She kept at it, more forcefully, until he finally said her name. Her head snapped up and she scanned over the room for the third time that day before her eyes focused back on him, apparently recognizing he was still the only other person in the kitchen. He didn't like it when she did things like that. It honestly gave him the creeps.

"It's still a huge area, Percy," she started. She frowned and glanced down at the plate in her hands, then set it on the sopping towel on the counter next to her and reached for another one. "Searching for one tiny island in monster-infested waters—"

"Hey, I'm the son of the sea god. This is my home turf. How hard can it be?"

He could scarcely believe the words coming out of his own mouth. Running away. To the Sea of _Monsters_. What sane person does that, anyway? It's only like, the scariest and most infamous place on the demigod map. The kind of placed that is x-ed out with a red Sharpie with the words "avoid at all costs" labeled at the top.

This wasn't supposed to happen. He wasn't supposed to make friends, or even start to care. And oh, he knew how ridiculous that sounded. You don't just exile yourself to spend four years with a group of people and not expect to establish some sort of ties with them. He was a "people person," Gwen always said, and he couldn't just _not care. _He was fully aware of that. But he didn't plan on risking his life and defying authority to do something quite this stupid.

"But—"

"Believe me, Annabeth, I know what I'm capable of."

And in that moment, there was nothing fake behind his actions, or his reasoning. A friend is a friend (even if they _are _Greek), and Percy was not about to let him die.

**. . .**

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Someone said from behind him. Alarmed, Percy jumped and whirled around to take in the jogger-esque man standing behind him. It wasn't every day a god materialized behind you. Since he came to Camp Half-Blood, he'd been visited a lot more frequently. He wondered if it had something to do with their Greek identities.

"Hermes," he stated, making a conscious effort to call him by his Greek name. The gods could get very irritated if you misused their names.

"May I join you?" he asked calmly. "I haven't sat down in ages."

Percy decided to take that figuratively and gestured to the sand next to him.

He smiled. "Your hospitality does you credit. Oh! And Coca-Cola! May I?" not waiting for an answer, he popped the can and took a swig. "Ah ... that hits the spot. Peace and quiet at—"

He checked his phone irritatedly. Percy smiled, a bit sadly.

"George, Martha," he said, nodding to the small snakes.

"Been a long time since I've gotten to relax. Ever since the telegraph—rush, rush, rush. Do you have a favorite constellation, Percy?"

"Hercules."

"Why?"

Percy shifted. He'd heard Hercules reputation before. Still, he couldn't bring himself to hate the guy. After all, anyone would probably turn into a jerk if they were forced to murder their own family. "Well... because he had rotten luck. Even worse than mine. It makes me feel better," he answered slowly.

Hermes nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose I should have expected such an answer from you, Percy. You are an interesting young man." They sat in silence for awhile, staring at the waves. "And so, what now?"

Percy didn't answer. He knew what he should do, he knew what he _could_ do, and he knew what he _wanted_ to do, but he wasn't aware of what he _would _do. Hermes slowly transformed himself into his original form. "Answer my question, Percy."

He laughed wryly. "Well, I don't have permission to go."

Hermes rolled his eyes. "And when has that stopped you?"

"I... want to go. I have to save him."

The god studied him thoughtfully, before deciding he was being honest. "I knew a boy once ... oh, younger than you by far. A mere baby, really. One night, when this boy's mother wasn't watching, he sneaked out of their cave and stole some cattle that belonged to Apollo. Actually, everything turned out quite well. To make up for his theft, the boy gave Apollo an instrument he'd invented—a lyre. Apollo was so enchanted with the music that he forgot all about being angry," Hermes informed, though Percy had heard the story more times than he could count; mostly in the campers' arguments.

"So what's the moral?" Percy asked tiredly.

"The moral?" Hermes asked. "Goodness, you act like it's a fable. It's a true story. Does truth have a moral?"

Percy chuckled. "Sorry, forgot who I was talking to for a second."

"How about this: stealing is not always bad?"

"That's a great moral, Hermes," Percy said sarcastically. "I'm sure mothers everywhere would _love _that."

"I've got it!" Hermes said, snapping his fingers. "Young people don't always do what they're told, but if they can pull it off and do something wonderful, sometimes they escape punishment. How's that?"

Percy shook his head, laughing. A bit long, a bit vague, but it got the point across. "Of course _you _would tell me to defy authority and go anyway."

Hermes chuckled and gave him two gifts.

"Thanks... But Lord Hermes, why exactly are you helping me?" He asked cautiously, though he'd already guessed the answer.

The god gave him a rueful smile. "Perhaps because I hope that you can save many people on this quest, Percy. Not just your friend Grover."

Percy stared at him. "I can't save Luke."

He had seen a lot of people who'd turned traitorous over the years. They were almost always the same. But Luke was a little different, and it didn't take a genius to recognize that he was too stubborn to give up on an uprising he'd been planning for years. Luke was going to need to see his mistakes before he could be saved. Percy knew there was nothing he would be able to do, but how could he explain that to someone's father, even if he _is _a god?

Hermes didn't respond.

"Look," Percy sighed, only feeling a slight bit awkward at having to comfort a _god_. "Lord Hermes, I mean, thanks and everything, but you might as well take back your gifts. Luke can't be saved. Even if I could find him... he told me he wanted to tear down Olympus stone by stone. He betrayed everybody he knew. He—he hates you especially."

Hermes gazed up at the stars. "My dear young cousin, if there's one thing I've learned over the eons, it's that you _can't _give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it. It doesn't matter if they hate you, or embarrass you, or simply don't appreciate your genius for inventing the Internet..."

Percy, George, and Martha rolled their eyes in unison. "Percy, do you understand what I'm saying about family?"

Percy considered. "I**—**"

"You will someday. In the meantime, I must be going." He stood up and brushed the sand off his legs. "And you, Percy, must be going now. Your..." his voice trailed off as he searched for the right word. "Your _friends_ should be coming right about... now."

"Percy!" Annabeth called, right on cue.

"I hope I packed well for you," Hermes said. "I do have some experience with travel."

**. . .**

"Keep going into Chesapeake Bay," Annabeth ordered. "I know a place we can hide."

He raised an eyebrow but did as she said. He veered sharply into a swampy area, where they beached the lifeboat by a huge cypress. "It's just down the bank," she continued.

"What is?" Percy asked suspiciously.

"Just follow. And we'd better cover the boat. We don't want to draw attention," she said, shouldering a duffel bag. After another few minutes, an unreadable expression crossed her face and she pointed to a patch of brambles. "Here." she said softly, moving a door of woven branches and revealing a shelter.

He felt a hollow pain in his chest. It was almost identical to the ones that he'd built with Reyna. They traveled from across the country so many times he'd lost count, and on about the third time they had started building permanent shelters. Actually, he believed there was one right around here. Suddenly, he realized that he and Annabeth might have even used the same ones.

"A half-blood hideout," he whispered. Thankfully, she was too lost in her own memories to notice how upset he was. "You made this place?" he asked softly.

Annabeth nodded briskly, as if it would shake the memories out of her head. "Thalia and I." she answered. "And... Luke." she added, wincing slightly.

"And you don't think Luke will look for us here?"

She shook her head no. "We made a dozen safe houses like this. I doubt Luke even remembers where they are. Or cares,"

He wasn't really paying much attention to her response, but for the first time, he could actually relate to Annabeth. The safe house upset both of them. She missed her friends too. He thought that this might be the first time he actually really understood her.

He sank to the floor, hating himself more than ever, because he just felt like moping around and feeling sorry for himself. But he _had _to ask her. He took a shaky breath.

"Hey, I'm sorry about seeing Luke."

"It's not your fault," she said tightly, growing interested in her knife.

"He let us go too easily." he muttered.

She nodded in agreement. "I was thinking the same thing. What we overheard him say about a gamble, and 'they'll take the bait'... I think he was talking about us."

"The Fleece is the bait? Or Grover?"

"I don't know, Percy. Maybe he wants the Fleece for himself. Maybe he's hoping we'll do the hard work and then he can steal it from us. I just can't believe he would poison the tree."

"What did he mean," he asked, knowingly taking a huge risk but too curious to let it go, "that Thalia would've been on his side?"

It was quite a statement to make, especially given the stories he'd heard about Thalia.

"He's wrong," Annabeth insisted, a bit too forcefully. She dragged her index finger over the edge of her knife, then brought it down to draw on the cool dirt floor. "Percy, you know who you remind me of most? _Thalia. _You guys are so much alike it's scary," she muttered. He blinked. Whatever he expected her to say, it certainly hadn't been that. "I mean, either you would've been best friends or you would've strangled each other."

He stifled a laugh. If she was anything like Jason, probably a combination of both.

It was difficult to properly sum up his relationship with Jason. They'd known each other since they were toddlers, and they'd always been best friends, but underneath the friendship there had definitely been a level of rivalry. It hadn't even really been their fault; they were constantly being compared to each other, and it stemmed from there. It was lighthearted, though. They'd had some great times together. They teased, but never meant anything insulting by it. Percy wondered how it might have been with Thalia, and he wished he could have the chance to find out.

**. . .**

"I'm sorry, Percy," Annabeth said quietly, staring at the waves. "I was wrong about Tyson, okay? I wish I could tell him that."

He barely responded, lost in his thoughts.

"Annabeth, what was Chiron's prophecy?" He asked cautiously, though he knew it by heart. It was a difficult thing to forget. Part of him wished Lupa had never said anything in the first place. Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss, even if it makes you look stupid.

She pursed her lips. "Percy... I shouldn't..."

"I know Chiron promised the gods he wouldn't tell me. But _you _didn't promise, did you?"

"Knowledge isn't always good for you."

"Your _mother _is the _wisdom _goddess!"

"I know! But every time heroes learn the future, they try to change it, and it never works."

She had a point, although he wasn't one to try and change prophecies. What was the point in trying if you know you'll fail?

"The gods are worried about something I'll do when I get older," he pressed. "Something I'll do when I turn sixteen."

Annabeth shifted uncomfortably. "Percy, I don't know the full prophecy, but it warns about a half-blood child of the Big Three—the next one who lives to the age of sixteen. That's the real reason Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades swore a pact after World War II not to have any more kids. The next child of the Big Three who reaches sixteen will be a dangerous weapon."

He frowned. He, personally, never interpreted it that way, like it was a race to turn sixteen. "Why?"

"Because that hero will decide the fate of Olympus. He or she will make a decision that either saves the Age of the Gods, or destroys it." she bit her lip. "You could be very useful to Kronos. If he can get you on his side, the gods will be in serious trouble."

He almost laughed. He would never even consider joining the Titans, simply because he'd never be able to turn his back on anyone—even the gods—even if they did make it tempting sometimes. But could the Greeks really believe that all demigods would feel that way? If he'd been born a Greek, he would've seriously considered joining. Kronos's forces were mislead, but they had a few very good points. Half-bloods were so often neglected, expected to show up and fight without opinions or complaints. Sadly, it didn't work that way.

"When Chiron first learned about Thalia, he assumed _she _was the one in the prophecy. That's why he was so desperate to get her safely to camp. Then she went down fighting and got turned into a pine tree and none of us knew what to think. Until you came along." Annabeth admitted.

There was that name again: Thalia, Daughter of Zeus. The one that had always haunted him, considering he was next in line behind her. He remembered learning about her _so _vividly. He had been eavesdropping on Olivia and Matthew, actually. He wasn't usually one for snooping, but he was young and he was bored, and Olivia seemed to have "forgotten" he was in there when Matthew walked into the room. Olivia was always doing things like that. The other praetor constantly chided her for giving Percy and Jason so much attention, but she claimed they were really just kids and needed to be looked after. Which was really a good call on her part, after the Red-Bull incident and all.

Olivia had probably know that hearing about Thalia would give him a shred of hope, that maybe he wouldn't have to deal with the prophecy at all. And then Thalia died, and just like that, any hope he'd once had had been squashed. And even _after _her death she continued to haunt him, in dreams, in decisions, and in the words of Juno and Vesta. He'd never even _met _her, yet somehow she had altered his life beyond repair. It was beyond annoying. He almost wished she were still alive; it would be such a relief to have a child of the Big Three that was older than he was. A part of him wondered how the Golden Fleece would affect Thalia's life force. Lexi would swear up and down that her soul wasn't in the Underworld, which had to mean she was trapped in the pine tree. Maybe it was still possible to bring her back, before the poison killed her and she ended up in Elysium.

"Then why do the gods even let me live?" Percy asked bitterly, not really wanting an answer. He already knew why—he's been through it _oh, _so _many _times with Juno. "It would be safer to kill me."

"You're right."

Her response caught him by surprise. You'd think she'd be a little less harsh on someone who just "found out" they weren't going to make it past sixteen.

"Thanks a lot," Percy said frostily.

Annabeth sighed and dropped her shoulders. She seemed to shed off a few years until she was just a little kid again. He wondered what it would be like to befriend a person that only had a few years left to live. "Percy, I don't know. I guess some of the gods _would _like to kill you, but they're probably afraid of offending Poseidon. Other gods... maybe they're still watching you, trying to decide what kind of hero you're going be. You could be a weapon for their survival, after all. The real question is... what will you do in three years? What decision will you make?"

_Gods,_ he wished he could answer that question.

**. . .**

Percy bit back a groan and kept his eyes on the waves, not bothering to pay any attention to her. Maybe if he ignored her, she would go away. But no such luck. She put her hands next to his on the ship's rail.

"Are you ever going to leave me alone?"

Her eyes slid over to him, but she didn't turn her head. "I would, if you were able to handle this without me," she said airily. Percy didn't even bother to respond. "I have better things to do than accommodate half-bloods, Percy. So I'll keep it short."

He stayed silent, still not looking at her.

"One, stay away from that girl."

He looked up at her in surprise. "Annabeth? Why?"

"The closer you get, the more you care. The more you care, the harder it is to lie. The harder it is to lie, the more you tell the truth. That's a problem I don't have time to deal with, Perseus." Her voice was hard and emotionless, and even slightly reprimanding.

"Just because I have friends here doesn't mean that I can't keep secrets from them."

Hera snorted. "You're so predictable."

"What's _that _supposed to mean?" He snapped, and she held up a patient hand.

"You do not need to know my reasons. If this becomes a problem, we will discuss this in greater length. The second reason I am here is to tell you to spare Luke." Percy groaned internally and externally. He expected she would say that. "I know you have the ability to take his life. And no doubt you'll have plenty of opportunities. But the Fates are being strangely protective of this one. His role is important, even necessary. You must let him live."

"And that means..."

"You'll have to lose. A lot. Every time you fight him, you'll have to surrender."

"No. Noooo!" He moaned, drawing out the words. "You _cannot _make me do that!"

She shrugged, her outline slowly fading into the soft evening sun, until she was almost transparent, and then she vanished completely. He cursed and banged his fist on the railing. He fished around in his pockets, before finding a gold drachma and flicking it into the rainbow mist of the waves. He mumbled an address, and slowly a girl of about thirteen shimmered into view. She was concentrating hard on something, and when she saw him she shrieked and jumped about a foot in the air.

"Jeez, Percy! Don't _do _that!" She scolded, but he was too busy cracking up to listen to her. "Gods," she mumbled, trying to stay annoyed, but it wasn't really working.

"I told you I'd get you back, sometime," he reminded her.

She rolled her eyes, but the edges of her mouth turned up into a small smile. "So what's the score then? Twenty to one?" she snickered. "And what is this, an Iris-message? Gods, Percy, you're going downhill fast."

"It's actually really cool," he shrugged. He saw no reason for the Romans to have cut Iris-messaging out of their society. It could really be useful sometimes. "And at least it's not twenty to zero anymore."

She tossed her head back and laughed for real, making him smile for the first time in days. Lexi had this way of letting everything else go when she laughed, like nothing mattered but the one moment. He didn't understand why this fascinated him so much, but it always calmed him.

"So what's up?" She asked, when she calmed down.

"Just bored, I guess."

"So what, I'm your boredom buster now?" she teased. "In addition to your confidant, as well as your shoulder to cry on," she added.

"Okay, I have never once cried on your shoulder."

"It's a metaphorical term."

"Still."

"You're really lucky I don't just desert you, y'know."

**. . .**

"Land!" Annabeth's voice rang clearly through the salty air. "There's land nearby!"

Sure enough, there was a line of blue and brown in the distance. Another minute and they could make out an island with a small mountain in the center, a dazzling white collection of buildings, a beach dotted with palm trees, and a harbor filled with a strange assortment of boats.

It really was beautiful, but he felt something so _wrong _about it all. Percy could tell Annabeth felt it too, but he didn't get the chance to ask her about it, or the opportunity to bolt off the island.

Percy could just make out the outline of a person walking towards him. As she grew closer, he realized it was a woman. The way she walked vaguely reminded him of someone, but his thoughts were too jumbled to figure out who (hello, concussion).

"Welcome!" She called out, and nausea gripped Percy. He knew that voice. Her cheerful attitude grated on his ears, and he wanted to jump into the ocean, but there wasn't time, there's no _time_. He was praying to all gods that he could think of, but the words died in his mind when she walked close enough to make out her face.

A strangled noise escaped him, and Annabeth turned to him, frowning. "You okay?"

"Is this your first time with us?" Hylla inquired, cocking her head slightly.

As soon as he looked into her dark eyes, Percy knew something was desperately wrong. Hylla's blue eyes stared straight at him, but they didn't hold the eery preciseness he remembered. They looked hollow and flat; almost glazed over, and Percy was reminded of the mummified Oracle.

He shuddered.

Annabeth still looked at him strangely, but he couldn't seem to get a grip and start acting like a normal person, so he didn't bother trying to act like everything was fine. Anyway, Annabeth's suspicions were apparently the least of his problems at the moment.

"Umm..." Annabeth answered, unsure of what to say, and Percy clearly wasn't being much help to her.

"First—time—at—spa," Hylla murmured, writing it down on her clipboard. "Let's see..."

He wanted to grab her by the shoulders and scream at her, but instead he just did his best to blankly stare at her.

"Mmm. An herbal wrap to start for the young lady. And of course, a complete makeover for the young gentleman."

_What the Hades?_

"Well, I'm sure C.C. will want to speak with you personally before the luau. Come, please."

She didn't recognize him? She _had _to recognize him. Juno wasn't messing with her memory, right? The thought made Percy uneasy. He'd grown up with Hylla. She and Reyna were the closest he'd ever come to siblings. Whether it was Juno or some other magical force, he didn't feel comfortable with her not remembering him.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," Annabeth muttered, even though they both knew it absolutely could, and undoubtedly would.

The back of his mind screamed that this was a_ bad idea_, but he could hardly just walk away now. He had to talk to Hylla. And although he wouldn't admit it to himself, he knew that where Hylla was, Reyna often was also, and nothing was about to stop him from finding her when she could only be a few feet away.

"Are you sure you're okay? You look pale," Annabeth's voice jarred him back to reality. She emphasized her comment by placing a hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes briefly and took a moment to console himself, then nodded.

Well, he was definitely _not _okay, but it wasn't like he could tell her that. He scanned the room, barely even seeing the beauty of it.

"I'm fine. Just... keep walking."

He only saw women and girls. Not a good sign. Definitely not a good sign.

Someone was singing. Percy recognized the feeling that had been freaking him out so much: magic. Desperately, he ran through what he'd been taught about enchantresses and sorcery. If this sorceress could enchant someone as one-track-minded and thick-headed as Hylla, they were in trouble.

He took a deep breath and followed Hylla into the room holding the source of the voice.

They both caught their breath at exactly the same time: Percy from the sight of the woman, and Annabeth from the sight of the tapestry the woman was weaving.

"Hylla, take Annabeth on a tour, will you? Show her what we have available. The clothing will need to change. And my goodness. We will do a full image consultation after I've spoken with this young gentleman."

It was difficult to think straight, but Percy forced himself to concentrate on the hidden meaning behind C.C.'s words. He could tell she had serious power—it emanated off of her and permeated the entire spa—but if he looked past her stunning features, he could see the mischievous glint in her eyes and the wicked curl of her lip.

Out of the corner of his eye, Percy watched a petite girl with dark curls jog past the doorway.

He inhaled sharply and craned his neck out of the doorway, just in time to see her disappear around the corner. "Reyna," he breathed.

Hylla's neck jerked and she looked straight at him, and just for a second, he noticed the sharpness he was used to in the weight of her stare. "What did you just say?"

"That was Reyna," he managed through his dry throat.

Annabeth frowned. "Who?"

"My... sister," Hylla said blankly, studying Percy so intently he felt exposed. "Oh my gods," Hylla whispered.

Something shifted in the air of the room, and C.C. rose out of her chair in a graceful, confident stride. "Hylla, did you hear me? Take Annabeth on a tour." Her voice was smooth and delicate, but Percy detected annoyance in her tone.

The guinea pigs in the cage on the table squealed earnestly, catching Percy's attention. _Guinea pigs, beautiful sorceress, island in the Sea of Monsters..._ the pieces swirled around in his head, while he tried to grab them and pin them down in their proper place. _C.C..._

Oh _gods._

"Right this way dear," Hylla said crisply, tearing her eyes of Percy. The hazy look returned, but only partly.

Circe stepped towards Percy, and he had the urge to sprint after Reyna down the hallway, but he knew he would have to be patient. None of them would make it out alive if he didn't think this through; a pity, because thinking things over had never been Percy's strong suit.

The witch herself grabbed his arm and half guided, half dragged him toward a mirrored wall. "You'll see, Percy," she admonished him, "to unlock your full potential, you'll need serious help. The first step is admitting that you're not happy the way you are."

They heard a loud crashing sound from down the hallway. Circe's neck snapped toward the direction of the sound. "Excuse me, for a moment. I'll be right with you, my boy."

He took a deep breath. He should run now. Find Annabeth and Hylla. Get the hell out of here. But he couldn't just leave Reyna. He had to find her too, and she was going in the same direction as Circe.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Percy whirled around to see Hylla standing in the doorway.

"You're _dead."_

Maybe they had quite a few things they needed to catch up on. But there would, hopefully, be time for that later.

"No, I'm not, but I will be if I don't find a way out of here before she comes back."

Hylla rushed forward and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Percy, I don't know what's happened to you, but listen to me," she spoke quickly and quietly, looking over her shoulder every few seconds. "Circe is stronger than you realize. You're obviously not enchanted yet, but you will be if she realizes you're not under her control. Do whatever she tells you. Pretend you're under a spell. And when you get the chance, _run."_

"But... what about you?"

A distracted expression passed over her face, but she shook her head firmly. "I don't... it doesn't matter. Just... don't let her get into your head. It's not easy, but it's possible." She motioned with her chin to the cage on the table. "Blackbeard and his crew are in there. It's probably not a good idea, but... if you have to..." she huffed and ran a hand over her face. "Just... don't do anything stupid."

"What, _me?_ Do something _stupid?"_

She rolled her eyes. "And... my sister and I... we'll be fine. I'll find a way to get Annabeth to you. Just... get out, okay? That way we don't have to lose you twice."

Hylla hugged him quickly and sprints out of the room.

He had to find a way to get them out, too. He wouldn't be Percy Jackson if he just left them here. Maybe, if he released Blackbeard, they could help him out. Percy felt his pockets for Hermes's multivitamins, cursing when he remembered Annabeth had taken them. How could he convince her to feed one to the guinea pigs? She'd never buy it. Blackbeard was impossible to bargain with, and they'd probably just end up his hostages. He had to give her a reason to put a vitamin in the cage.

When Circe returns, she runs her mouth some more, but Percy does his best not to listen to a word she's saying.

He stares at the potion she hands him. Of course, he knows exactly what it will do, and it would be _very _stupid to drink it. But he thinks of Hylla's desperate voice and Reyna running down the hallway, and he wonders how many other people are trapped here, and he knows he _has _to. He can't let them live their lives here.

It's really amazing the things he'll do for that girl.

* * *

**[Edited 5/29/12]**


	6. Graces

**Ready... Set... GO!**

* * *

_Chapter Five: Graces_

"I'm telling you, she's still inside that tree," Lexi argued, tapping her feet against the cabin wall. She had adopted this position lately, though he saw no point in laying on the floor with your feet in the air. She claimed it helped her think. Why she needed to be thinking now, he would never understand, but Percy had long since given up on trying to reason with Lexi. She used her own kind of logic.

"How do you know?" he demanded.

She snorted. "How do I know? How do _I, _Lexi, Daughter of the _God of Death_, know whether or not Thalia is dead?"

He rolled his eyes, even though she was laying on the floor and couldn't see him. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what _did _you mean?"

"I _meant _'how do you know she's still in the tree?'"

"Where _else _would she be?" Lexi snapped.

Percy held up his hands in surrender. "Jeez. I was just _asking."_

Lexi sighed heavily and rolled onto her side. "Sorry. I'm just... stressed, I guess." She ran a hand through her long, dark hair (which could have _seriously _used a brush), then let it drop back down to her side.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked softly, scanning her face. She held his gaze for a second, as if trying to read his thoughts by will.

"I found two of my siblings," she whispered, looking down at the cabin floor. He stayed silent, debating how to answer her. "Nico and Bianca."

They weren't well known names, but he'd definitely heard them before. "Di Angelo?"

Lexi nodded grimly. "My father must have... I don't know... kept them alive somehow."

Percy considered her comment warily. It wasn't unheard of, especially with Pluto's reluctance to submit to the pact. Still, Pluto was hard and often emotionless. He wasn't the type to take compassion on his children. "But why? And how could Zeus have let them live?"

"You said Zeus," she snickered.

"I can't help it!" he insisted.

"What should I do?"

"Nico and Bianca are Greek," Percy reasoned, "maybe you should just stay out of their way."

"But I can't do that!" she cried, jumping to her feet and startling him. She took a deep breath and let her body go slack. "You know I can't. There's no way I would just abandon them."

"Okay fine," he hissed, "but you have to be _quiet."_

"Sorry," she whispered, giggling. She opened her mouth to say something else, but a pounding on the door silenced her. Lexi mumbled a curse under her breath and vanished into the shadows of the dimly lit cabin.

A strange feeling washed over him; a sort of nausea. The stomach churning kind of excitement you only get when you know something huge is about to happen, but you're not quite sure whether it's good or bad. Anticipation. That palm sweating, white-knuckled, cold sweat sort of anticipation.

Percy pulled open the door to reveal a trembling satyr. Words tumbled out of Grover's mouth so fast it came out as an incoherent babble.

"She lying there... just lying there..."

Percy could almost _hear _Lexi telling him she told him so. Which she did, and he half believed her, but it was a whole different ballgame now that Thalia could be actually... _human _again. A million thoughts raced through his mind; too fast for him to even understand. He figured he would just stand in the back and wait for the other campers to get to her and bring her inside. But that was before Chiron brings him up to Half-Blood Hill.

"Curse the Titan Lord," Chiron muttered. "He's tricked us again, given himself another chance to control the prophecy."

Percy stared at him in horror. One of his best fighters (that was never really _his _to begin with... but still) had just come back to life, and he was grumbling about the prophecy? They further approached the hill, and he got his first glimpse of her. She was lying unconscious at the base of the tree, with Annabeth kneeling next to her. Annabeth was the closest one to her, and even she stayed a safe distance away. They were treating her like... like some sort of experiment gone wrong. He leaped off Chiron's back and ran over to her.

She looked exactly like she did in all of his dreams: lithe and strong, wearing a mix of punk-Goth clothes, short black hair, and freckles across her nose. It was almost creepy looking at her; the girl who was dead but never died. But looking at her, he can _feel _what she felt; knew what she needed.

He laid a hand on her forehead. His fingertips tingled touching her for the first time. Her skin, although clammy and freezing, crackled with electricity. Weak currents jolted through his body and exited through his fingers on his opposite arm. The sensation was all-too familiar; you learned not to touch Zeus's children without their permission after awhile.

Slowly, he took her shoulders and lifted her into a sitting position. The other campers gawked and gaped, still too freaked to come anywhere near her.

"Come _on!" _he shouted. "What's wrong with you people? Let's get her to the big house!"

Nobody moved. They couldn't possibly be so stunned that they couldn't move. Didn't anyone realize how powerful the Fleece truly was?

Thalia took a shaky breath, coughed, and opened her eyes.

He inhaled sharply. _Those eyes. _He _knows _he had seen those eyes before, on someone else. The hair on his arms stood on end and goosebumps prickled over his body. It had nothing to do with electricity this time.

She stared up at him and shivered violently. "Who—"

"I'm Percy," he said calmly. "you're safe now."

"Strangest dream..." she whispered, her eyes taking on a faraway look.

"It's okay now," he told her firmly. He had no idea what was going through her mind, but he couldn't let her have a breakdown at the top of the hill with everyone staring. There'd be time enough for that later.

"Dying."

"No," he assured her, almost laughing at the irony. "You're okay now. What's your name?"

He didn't ask it as a literal question; he already knew. He asked it because he somehow knew that she needed a chance to say it out loud; a chance to really be Thalia again.

"I am Thalia. Daughter of Zeus."

**. . .**

"I _told _you so."

He heard her before he saw her. Even his demigod sight couldn't make out anything in the pitch-blackness, but the voice unmistakeably belonged to her. That, and nobody else would appear randomly in his cabin at four in the morning by means of shadow travel. But hey, that was just the kind of life he led.

"I know you did," he retorted calmly, flicking on the lights and leaning against the door. She winced at the brightness, knocking out whatever snappy comment she was about to make.

"You look freaked." she stated plainly, hopping off one of the bottom bunks and making her way over to him, hands on her hips.

He just looked at her for a second; holding her gaze before dropping his eyes to the floor.

"I think she's a Grace," he muttered, pushing off the door and sidestepping past her. It wasn't even just the looks. They really didn't share much in common except for the eyes. It was something intangible; something he didn't understand and couldn't explain. A sort of vibe that he got from Thalia. And something about the way they spoke and formed their words was the same. He hadn't been able to talk much with Thalia; it just felt too _weird._

Lexi cleared her throat. "Um, what?"

"I said," he repeated patiently, "I think she's a Grace."

"As in like... the Gratiae?"

Percy made a noise in the back of his throat. Maybe he'd only known Thalia for a few hours, but it was pretty obvious that she wasn't that type of girl. "Heck no. Like her last name."

Lexi blinked. "A-a Roman and a Greek? From the same mother?" she shook her head. "That's not possible."

"It's _possible. _Just unlikely."

_"Very _unlikely."

"But they _have _to be siblings," Percy argued. He'd never seen a pair of demigods so in-sync.

"Percy, they _are _siblings," she rolled her eyes, "just not _full _siblings."

"You didn't see her. You didn't touch her," he shook his head. "I just... I just _know _that they have the same parent_s, _instead of paren_t."_

"You're insane."

He heaved a sigh. Lexi was often blunt like this. He'd learned not to be offended. It was just the way she communicated. Still, at this hour of the morning, he had barely any compassion left in him. This girl, however, had utterly no sense of time or tact.

"It's really not that crazy."

"Well why wouldn't Jason tell us?" she insisted.

So many, many reasons. Truthfully though, Percy hardly cared. After all, he was in the current process of lying to Jason about something much bigger than a long-lost older sister. Jason preferred to keep most of his personal life to himself, and he hadteen to young to remember much before Lupa. Anyway, that was assuming he even _knew. _Percy probably wouldn't have known if he had a dead Greek sister. And judging by the year of Thalia's death, it seemed Jason had already been a part of the Legion. He probably hadn't seen her since he was two, if even at all.

"Oh come _on, _Lexi," Percy countered exasperatedly. "Why wouldn't he tell us that he had a dead Greek sister?"

She only glared at him in silence for a few minutes. "It just doesn't make sense," she said finally.

It made too much sense to be nothing more than a coincidence, that was for sure.

"I think it actually makes more sense this way."

"I'll ask him, then."

"No!" he snapped forcefully. Lexi back-peddled in alarm. Percy chuckled at her expression. "Sorry. That just would _not _be smart."

"I guess you're right," she shrugged. "but that's a pretty far-fetched theory."

He stared at her blankly for a moment, then flopped down on the bed. He was so _done _for tonight, and dealing with conspiracy theories with an argumentative girl wasn't on the top of his list at the moment.

Lexi stuck her tongue out and stooped down to grab the sweatshirt she'd left on his cabin floor. "Alright, alright," she sighed. "I get the message. I'm leaving."

Percy mumbled something that could have possibly been interpreted as a goodbye, or a goodnight, or something along those lines.

She threw a pillow at him. "Bye," she threw out her hands and backed up towards the door, "and wait for it..." she backed up further and placed her finger on the light switch. "Dramatic exit!" she yelled, turning off the lights and vanishing.

**. . .**

After the initial shock of Thalia's reappearance, things returned back to normal, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened at all. The camp was now painfully aware what the Titan's forces had been trying to accomplish by bringing Thalia back into play.

Percy laid on his bed, wishing sleep would come and considering all of this, when the hairs on his arm stood up. He gritted his teeth, painfully aware of what was about to come.

It had been thunder-storming for _days _now, and even Camp Half-Blood wasn't spared from the violent downpours. _Especially _Camp Half-Blood wasn't spared, apparently. It happened yesterday, in the middle of lunch. The campers had all dropped their food and stared up at the sky in shock; himself included. Thalia looked like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die, which probably wasn't far from the truth. She knew it was because of her just as much as everyone else did. It reminded Percy of last year, when he'd been stuck in a similar situation. There just wasn't anything that compared to the feeling of having the whole room angry at you.

A blinding glow lit up the previously pitch-black room, confirming Percy's suspicions. And then a furious goddess is paced (rather loudly) across the cabin floor, grunting and swearing, while she muttered things to herself in so many languages that he hardly caught a word of anything that she said. Juno-Hera (because he could barely tell the difference between them anymore) cursed loudly (in English, believe it or not) and stomped her foot. He'd love to tell her how much she looked like a hysterical toddler. He half expected her to switch forms from a woman to a two-year-old, as a matter of fact, but he knew better than to insult a female (goddess or no goddess) on a rampage.

"How could you?" she finally demanded.

"How could I... what?" Percy asked, genuinely confused.

"It's _your _fault that wretched little_—ugh _is here!"

_Wretched little ugh. _What an apt description. Sometimes, Percy wondered what she referred to him as when he wasn't in the room. To be honest, Percy doubted that Juno-Hera even thought of him as a person with real feelings and actual rights.

"I couldn't let the tree die... the borders—"

"The borders!" she mocked in a high-pitched whining voice. "This is just as bad as the time I first learned of her existence! No more pine trees, next time," she huffed. "I'll just let her die."

"Whoa, hold on a second," Percy held up a hand. _"You _turned her into a pine tree?"

Juno-Hera rolled her eyes. "Of _course. _Who else?"

"Well, um, Zeus."

"Don't speak of him!" the goddess wailed. "I'd leave him if I could."

He felt like a marriage counselor. Percy did not consider himself qualified to listen to a melodramatic goddess rant about her husband. Time for a subject change. "That's not cool."

"Excuse me?"

"Turning her into a pine tree. That is just seriously not cool."

"Watch your mouth, boy," Juno-Hera snapped viciously. Percy swore he saw her eyes burst into flames. Just to be safe, he focused his eyes on the wall, in case she spontaneously switched forms. What an anti-climactic death that would be.

"No! Like, what the hell? You can't just do that to people! I don't care if your husband cheated on you!"

"How _dare_ you?" Juno-Hera shouted, appalled. She was actually flickering now, but Percy wasn't ready to be done. He'd borderline lost all respect for her, and what she did to Thalia was just _not okay _with him at all. The sickest thing was that it had probably been to keep Jason in the dark about Thalia's existence. If Thalia wasn't alive or dead, there was no way for Jason to come across her over the years.

Percy was utterly _disgusted. _He didn't _care _about her stupid sob stories about an adulterous husband, failing children, and the stupid excuse for not being able to understand demigods because she had no demigod children. _Bullshit. _She just had a bitchy side to her, nothing complicated about it.

"No. No pine trees. You can't control everything."

Juno-Hera collapsed onto the bed across from Percy's. She sat up again and laid a dramatic hand over her eyes. "Yes, Percy," she said finally, sounding desperate and tired. "It was I who turned Thalia into a tree. Zeus was going to let her die... he had the _audacity _to actually _love _that child. Can you believe it?"

"No... I—I can't, actually," Percy admitted. Frankly, he couldn't think of Zeus loving _anyone, _for that matter. "But, if he loved her, why would he let her die?"

She shrugged. "The gods can only intervene so much. Zeus could not save her from a terrible fate; he could only pick the least terrible one for her." she waved her hand nonchalantly. "At least if she died, she would be at peace. She made her decision, and she was ready for death. Instead, she was kept from Elysium and forced to sleep for six years."

Percy winced. He'd never thought of it that way. Juno-Hera seemed to have calmed down considerably, so he takes a risk.

"She... she um, wouldn't happen to be related to anyone I might know, by any chance?" he ventured. Juno-Hera's eyes shot murderous daggers at him, and his hair stood up on end again.

"Where would you get an idea like that?"

"Just... a feeling," Percy mumbled, feeling suddenly sheepish.

"Greeks and Romans don't come from the same family, Percy," she snapped, each word breaking off like an icicle.

He didn't test the subject any further. But he hadn't said anything about Romans.

**. . .**

"Hey... um, it's Percy, right?" she walked towards him slightly hesitantly but still with confidence, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand. Percy nodded. Thalia smiled and sat down next to him in the sand. The weather was calm this morning, for once, as if Juno-Hera had released all her tension last night. The idea made Percy uncomfortable. He didn't like thinking of gods as beings that had feelings and all that. It was awkward, almost like when you see your elementary teacher crying.

"I haven't really had the chance to talk to you yet... it's been... crazy," Thalia started the conversation.

He chuckled. "I bet."

She laughed too. "Yeah. It's strange coming back into the world after so many years. It's like missing a huge piece in the middle of a puzzle."

"I can't imagine that. I'm, uh, sorry, I guess."

Thalia shrugged. "No need. We're demigods. Things happen."

"You can say that again," he muttered, watching the waves crash.

She nodded in response. "I, um, I wanted to thank you, actually."

Percy turned to her, frowning. "For what?"

"For helping me out, that first night," she specified. "Everyone else was standing around like idiots." she rolled her heavily made-up eyes.

Most definitely. He had overestimated the Greeks again. Weren't they supposed to train to be prepared for that sort of thing?

"Oh. You're welcome. I just knew what you must be feeling, is all."

"Yeah... Annabeth told me that you're Big Three too?"

"Poseidon," Percy replied firmly. He still wasn't used to it, yet. He'd only had to say it a few times, so he wasn't accustomed to it. The Greek name tasted strange in his mouth. He had been taught to have pride in Rome, and he felt like a failure to deny his Roman roots.

"They treat us like we're not even like... human or something, ya know?"

"Yes! Totally. It drives me crazy."

"I feel the same way. So what if I'm Zeus's daughter? So what if I got turned into a tree? They've seen stranger things happen."

Thalia almost seemed to be speaking his exact thoughts. "I know, right? Like, we're just kids, too."

Thalia nodded, clearly excited to talk to someone who understood. Percy realized that when she'd been alive the first time, she'd been the only one around. It must have been ridiculously difficult for her. "Yeah. Just because we're totally awesome..."

"Doesn't mean you need to be all jealous of us," Percy finished for her. Thalia laughed, and he was reminded about how Annabeth said they were "so alike it's scary." Maybe they sort of are.

"Well, anyway, Annabeth's told me a lot about you," she said. She stood up and brushed the sand off her pants. "You seem like a really cool guy. I hope I'll be seeing you around?"

He nodded again. "Definitely."

She smiled again. "Nice meeting you, Percy."

"Same to you!" he called after her, as she jogged off back into the woods.

Mere minutes later, she was replaced by another Big Three girl.

"Death Breath," he greeted her. "how goes it?"

_"Totally _Jason's sister," she confirmed, ignoring him completely.

Percy smiled smugly. "Told ya so. Why do you say that?"

Lexi rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't get all cocky. You told me before I'd seen her."

He shrugged. "Fair enough."

"Anyway, like you said, I can just... _see _it. I heard the end of your conversation... they even _sound _alike."

"They don't look that much alike... but it's just something about the way they act," he agreed. "They've gotta be more than just half siblings."

He frowned when a new thought occurred to him.

"Lexi... she must think he's dead."

Lexi stretched out like a cat. "I'm sure she does," she responded nonchalantly.

"That—that's awful."

She nodded in agreement and let a brief moment of silence pass. "Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't even think about it."

"Lexi—"

"I'm not gonna let you blow everything just because Thalia thinks her little brother is dead," the girl stated firmly.

"But I feel guilty. I shouldn't know if she doesn't."

"That's possibly the most Percy Jackson-ish thing I've ever heard a Percy Jackson say."

He turned to her quizzically, laughing. "Um, what?"

"Forget it," she told him, waving her hand dismissively. "Seriously, though, you can't tell her."

"I know..." he sighed. She bumped him with her shoulder, her signature move that she used to cheer people up.

"It's getting late," she gestured to the sun setting over the horizon. "Lupa will have my head if she finds out I left."

"Literally?"

Lexi narrowed her eyes condescendingly. "Of course not."

"You just never know with Lupa."

_"Very _true," the girl murmured, standing up and taking her combat boots off. She wriggled her toes in the sand before cuffing her black jeans and stepping into the water. "I miss you, Percy."

"But I'm right here."

"I know. But it's weird not having you around all the time."

"It's weird not _being _around all the time."

"Yeah, but... I don't know, it just feels... _wrong."_

"That's because it _is, _Lex," Percy replied softly.

* * *

**[Edited 8/5/12]**


	7. Only The Good Die Young

_Hello, dear children. I originally thought that this would be finished way before SON... HA, what a joke. take an update, while I do some serious character tweaking... revised goal: finish before MOA! If I don't make that goal, I give you permission to throw large, rotten tomatoes at me. And cabbages.  
_

_ESMT: I didn't see it coming either, to be honest. I was writing it and it kind of struck me._

_Hedly is Amazing: Thanks Hedly, you're amazing too! ;] The answer is: he couldn't. That's where Lexi came from in the first place! Thanks! :) The Diana/Artemis conversation was one of my favorites to write; I just love her. It is sad, agreed :/ I wasn't particularly happy with the ending, I sort of just tacked it on at the end... but anyway, glad you liked.  
_

_evenfall: Thanks ;) and I'll always give you another chapter... how could I abandon my dear readers?_

_PureAwesomeness13: Glad to hear it... I never really know if the humor is going to work. I'm not exactly a funny person... haha ;]_

_Mytical-Mist-Devil: Aw, thanks. You're very kind, really! :D Those moments are great... there's nothing like good, solid, trustworthy friendships._

_BookReader10: Appreciate it!_

_iStoleYourBlueMoonIceCream: Nah, I'd never ditch. You can't get rid of me that easily!_

_greek-ac-thalassa: Awesome review, as always ;) glad to see that you're still sticking around ;] I wish Thalia knew too... haven't decided how to work with that yet._

_FaZe-Life: =] it does fit in pretty well, doesn't it? It's kinda funny... part of me wishes it was true. _

_Lil'P 101: Haha thanks ;)_

_StarlitReader: You don't need to say more, but really, feel free to go on! Haha ;) I'm running with the idea that he really wasn't faking anything... it's fun blending Roman and Greek Percy together. And yes, I did see Reyna! Oh dear, we might have a bit of a biotch on our hands... Have I ever told you how much I love getting reviews from you? =) thanks so much, first of all. I'll never get sick of hearing how you love my story... that just doesn't get old ;) so why don't you keep on saying it until you don't feel like it anymore? ;p I love creating tension... it's fun to write about ;) As for the Reyna issue... that's probably what I'll end up doing. Should be fun to write about how he reacts to biotch Reyna when he gets back...oh, joy. I actually ended up liking Rick's Reyna, so it shouldn't be too hard. Unfortunately, the real world __does _exist, doesn't it? Sometimes I think it would be better if it didn't... *sigh.* Anyhoo, thanks for reviewing, and still putting up with me and my insanely long update lacks :p  


_ducks-r-homicidal: Oh, I like that idea! I'll definitely have to throw something about that in there ;] Thanks! Nope. I'm way to much of a Percabeth junkie to write a fic where they didn't end up together. Percy and Reyna would make an interesting couple, though. Haven't decided on a weapon... I'll deal with that when he goes back to Camp Jupiter, because he doesn't need a Roman weapon now.  
_

_Pjoperson: Pardon?_

_Power of Fiction: Drama, drama, drama galore! It wouldn't be right not to have it. Thanks very much :D Writing interactions with gods is always very fun.  
_

_Eleos: Thalia has her moments... that was the first time they'd really talked, so she had to be friendly, ya know? Haha ;]_

_hassan221997: But of course!_

_Miz636: Quite the mental image, huh? ;p Well, you shall just have to wait and seee... tehe ;) _

_MaxRide05: That would've been rather interesting... another very good idea. Thanks =]_

_ShoshonaTheRose: Very pretty pen name, I must say. Percy or Jason... well, in this universe, Percy. Always Percy ;) as for Reyna... no, I'm pretty sure they won't end up together. Sorry :/ It will come into play, however. __Where? Mount Tam, rescuing Annabeth. I think that's what you were asking. That's an interesting idea. Some Greeks have to find out, after all. It's really hard to keep something hidden for so long. I may use that idea, but don't get offended if I don't... I'm just not sure if I want Thalia to know yet. I like the whole Oracle idea... I know, I need to go back and spend some more time on TC. I will, I will, don't worry ;)_  


_redlox2: Most of the gods do... they're all "all-knowing" and all that ;) Thanks! That was my main inspiration for the story; how so many secrets can fit inbetween the lines._

_Bragi151: Ahh, I can always count on nice, long reviews from you ;) thanks for taking the time. I would have preferred the end to be a little longer... I really just tacked it on so I could post it before SON came out. I thought that was pretty obvious, but maybe not. I'm sort of a mythology nerd, so I like to throw extra information about that in there ;) this is really the only place where I can show off dorky knowledge; in the real world, they'd make fun of me ;P Bessie... I don't know, I might just decide to be lazy and "forget" about her/him/it. Don't count on that, though ;)_

_raeganb123: Yeah, I'm ah... sort of back ;) this has sort of been longer than a week... I'm truly sorry, but there was just too much to think about. Thanks for your review! __First off, glad to hear you love my story :) I know it's been too long, and I'm sorry, truly. I just have other things to do. Believe me, if I could just sit and write all day, I would. But I can't, because real life does exist. Sorry, again; updates will come as fast as I can._

_nameless: Thanks =) updates always come literally as soon as I can. I'm sorry they take so long... I wish I had the time to sit and write all day. Wouldn't that be nice?_

_PJfan: Thanks :) always ASAP..._

_Phoenix1592: Mmm, agreed. She was only acting 'cause of Bianca, though. And to test Percy. But yeah, I get where you're coming from._

_PercyxArtemis: I got it the very day it came out ;) how 'bout you? Same, I'm assuming? It's alright, reviews are gifts, not necessities. I love getting reviews from you ;) _

_omfg: Only in my dreams... *sigh.* Those are quite the compliments, thank you so much! Great minds do think alike ;) you should write it!_

_greek-ac-thalassa: Aw, you are always here ;) thanks. Well, I guess I write with passion because I'm passionate! Gods, I wish this series was my own... that would be awesome._

_iStoleYourBlueMoonIceCream: I know I should. I really, really should. I will never ditch, though, pinky promise! Updates will always come literally as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I don't have all the time I want to have to sit down and write this._

_Sherlein: Yes, you absolutely can ;) it's greatly appreciated, too :D I'm not totally sure how I'm going to handle the Jason/Reyna thing, now that I know they're not officially dating in HOO. _

_HappyAce88: Well, friendship for Percy. But for Reyna... hmmm... haha ;) It is sad, isn't it? I'm so mean to him :p Haha, thanks! And Percy only hates Zoe because she hates him. It'll work out. Thanks again :)_

_PhantomGirl12: Thanks =) this isn't exactly soon, but I hope it's soon enough..._

_Terri M: Oh, I know what that's like. I've done that. And then I realized you could review anonymously... duuhh :p haha. Better a little late than never, right? ;) Thanks so much for reviewing; most people don't bother, and it drives me crazy. Yes, Reyna is due for some action, isn't she?_

_Son OF Perseus and Artemis: awesome review._

_Skyguy98: Not exactly soon... but... here! Thanks for your review :)_

_PLKBerry: Awesome! I love getting more readers. Thank you!_

_PureAwesomeness13: Thank you, thank you :)_

_Terrace Lily: This may be the best review I have ever gotten ;) very clever, very funny. Thanks for taking the time to write all that out... haha ;) it really made my day._

_Norielle: Ooh, I got a few reviews from you ;) quadruple the thanks to you ;) thanks for taking the time to do that, it really means a lot._

_nameless: No, of course not! I'm sorry, just had a lot to think about with SON and all._

_Fenrir the Vicious: Well, that's how Zoe came off to me in TC. And because she says that when girls grow up, they lose their independence, and forget themselves. It actually makes sense, to me._

_nerdreader: Thanks ;) hope this is soon enough for you._

_nameless: Unfortunately, as you'll learn if you follow this story, I have a horrible tendency to not update this story for months on end... doesn't mean I'm abandoning it, just means I've been busy, or have writer's block... sorry :( thanks for reviewing!_

_crapbag7: Aw, thank you! I'm glad you think so =] I know the update is late... I know. I'm sorry :(_

_Shellyrocks82: Thanks ! =) Happy to hear it. I agree, there's not a lot of friendship fics between them at all. Actually, quite the opposite happened: I read SON and gained interest, I just had a lot of new things to think about, and a few things to fix. I'll keep writing till the end, no worries ;]_

_Do I even have to apologize for such a late update, or do you all already know I'm sorry?  
_

_SON OF NEPTUNE TOMORROW! I'm buying it on exactly tomorrow... I've been waiting WAY TOO LONG for this book._

* * *

_Chapter Twelve: Only The Good Die Young  
_

Okay, how was he supposed to know that Lexi would turn out to be really, really, _really_ overprotective? Or that Thalia was a control freak with a nasty temper? Or that Annabeth was going to piggyback-ride a Manticore? Or that Artemis would show up, with the ever-bitching Zoë Nightshade in tow?

He most _definitely _had no idea that he'd be sitting with a scrawny little ten-year-old boy and a petrified satyr, camped out in one of the Hunters' tents, sporting a shoulder wound and a missing best friend. Could the day possibly get any worse?

He catches Grover's eye. The satyr is sullen and depressed, looking like he wants to curl up and die somewhere. Percy doesn't feel much different. He's about ten seconds away from strangling the little Hades kid when Zoë (unannounced and unwanted) appears.

"Percy Jackson," she says coldly; venomously; glaring at him with those big brown eyes. He glares back.

He isn't exactly on... _good _terms with her. She had never liked him (absolutely _sexist_), but she began to hate him when Reyna refused to join them, as if that was somehow _his _fault.

"Come with me. Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."

_"Fabulous," _he growls, after leaving the tent.

"Show some respect," Zoë snaps, clenching her fists. "You are lucky to have escaped with your life."

They walked in stony silence to the last tent. Artemis is seated next to Bianca di Angelo on the rug.

"Join us, Percy Jackson," the goddess says warmly, flashing a dazzling smile. Her yellow eyes drink him in, seeming to see right _into _him.

"Are you surprised by my age?"

"Uh... a little."

She smirks, eyes glinting. He can feel her waiting for a mistake.

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?"

She arches an eyebrow slightly but plows on into her usual answer: "Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."

"Oh."

Artemis's smirk grows into a small smile. Zoë sits down to her right, continuing to glare.

"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis continues. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp…" She looks at her lieutenant. "Which one was it?"

"That boy in Colorado," Zoë says. "You turned him into a jackalope."

"Ah, yes." the goddess nods. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the… mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you."

He explains. Artemis inhales sharply, stroking her bow.

"I feared this was the answer," she whispers. Zoë sits up straighter.

"The scent, my lady?"

The goddess nods, not making eye contact.

"What scent?" he asks, praying to all gods they aren't thinking the same thing.

"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmurs. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten."

She looks at Percy intently; most likely trying to extract thoughts from his brain by sheer will. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr. Thorn said."

"Um, 'I hate middle school dances.'"

Her mouth twitches. "No, no. After that."

"He said somebody called the General," he locks eyes with Artemis, and then Zoë; pausing for a second longer than necessary, "was going to explain things to me."

Zoë pales. She turns to Artemis to say something, but Artemis shakes her head firmly, motioning with her head to the girl on her left.

"Go on, Percy," the goddess says coolly, but her posture is tenser, and her eyes have taken on a more solid form.

"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot—"

"Stirring," Bianca corrects.

"Yeah. And he said, 'Soon we shall have the most important monster of all—the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus.'"

Artemis's breathing stops.

"Maybe he was lying," Percy mutters, wishing that saying it out loud would make it true.

"No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."

"We will leave right away, my lady,"

"No," the goddess says firmly, setting her jaw. "I must do this alone."

"But, Artemis—"

"This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."

"As… as you wish, my lady."

Percy and Zoë exchange a glance: a fearful, panicked, glance.

"I will find this creature," Artemis vows. "And I shall bring it back to Olympus by winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the Council of the Gods of how much danger we are in."

"You know what the monster is?" he "asks."

The goddess grips her bow. "Let us pray I am wrong."

"Can goddess pray?"

A ghost of a smile plays on her lips.

"Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."

"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?"

"Sadly, no." Percy glares at her. She smirks. "I want you to escort the Hunters back to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there in safety until I return."

_"What?_ But, Lady Artemis, we _hate_ that place. The last time we stayed there—"

"Yes, I know," Artemis sighs, "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of a little, ah, misunderstanding. It's your right to use Cabin Eight whenever you are in need. Besides, I hear they rebuilt the cabins you burned down."

The goddess turns to Bianca. "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"

Bianca hesitates. "I'm still thinking about it."

"Thinking about what?" he demands.

"They've asked me to join the hunt."

No. _No. _No no no no _no._

"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."

"It is _not_ the only way for a girl," Zoë snaps.

_"Yes, _it _is."_

_"No, _it is _not."_

Artemis holds up a hand to silence them. They stop, but keep up a death glare.

"Bianca, camp is cool!" he insists, almost choking on the words, but continuing anyway: "It's got a pegasus stable and a sword-fighting arena and… I mean, what do you get by joining the Hunters?"

"To begin with," Zoë says, "immortality."

"She's kidding, right?" He turns to Artemis; not questioning the immortality, but that she had the nerve to bring it up.

"Zoë rarely kids about anything," Artemis says, giving him a look. "My Hunters follow me on my adventures. They are my maidservants, my companions, my sisters-in-arms. Once they swear loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal… unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely, or, they break their oath."

"So now you just go around the country, recruiting half-bloods—"

"Not just half-bloods. _Lady Artemis _does not discriminate against birth. _All _who honor the gods may join: half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—"

"So which are you?"

Her eyes flash. She curls her hands into fists. They stare each other down.

"That is _not _thy concern, _boy," _she spits. "The _point _is, Bianca may join if she wishes. It is her choice."

"Bianca, this is crazy. What about Nico? He can't be a Hunter."

He sees he struck a nerve, but she turns to Zoë. "Is it worth it?"

"It is."

"What do I have to do?"

"Say this," Zoë told her, "'I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis.'"

"I... I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."

"'I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt.'"

Bianca repeats the lines. "That's it?"

Zoë nods. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."

"I accept it," Artemis says, nodding.

Percy shakes his head. Just like that, she belongs to Artemis forever.

"Welcome, sister," the lieutenant smiles.

"Dawn is approaching. Zoë, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. I shall summon a ride from my brother."

She nods and tells Bianca to follow her, taking the hint. As she was leaving, Bianca pauses in front of him. "I'm sorry, Percy. But I want this. I really, really do."

He says nothing. A few minutes pass in silence. Zoë comes back into the tent after a few moments.

"And the Oscar goes to..." Artemis mutters, lips curling into a half smile. "Are you always that good?"

"I guess so."

The Hunter rolls her eyes.

"And you have fooled all of them?" the goddess asks, ignoring her.

Percy nods.

"Impressive. I would have assumed Annabeth would have noticed by now... a bright girl, that one is," Artemis says fondly. "I would like to have her apart of my Hunt."

"No," he snaps, without thinking. Artemis blinks.

"Not that it really matters," Zoë mutters, "she wouldn't join anyway, because of _you."_

"Excuse me?"

"Hah. It would be Reyna all over again."

"Zoë!" Artemis reprimands her.

"My apologies, my lady. 'Tis only the truth."

"The last time we asked Reyna, she was only ten," the goddess reminds her. "She was unusually young, and afraid to leave her friend. She was _not _acting out of love."

She apologizes again, bowing her head.

"Leave us, please. I would like a word alone with Perseus."

Zoë exits.

"Percy Jackson, I must say, I'm impressed. Very impressed," she admits. Her features slowly morph into a sterner, prouder, harder expression. She ages a few years.

"Thank you, Lady Diana."

The goddess eyes his wrist. "I see you carry the mark of Vesta, as well."

"If you wanna call it that, yes," he admits.

"I usually do not concern myself with that of boys," Diana says. "but you are a, ah, _different _case." The goddess sighs. "See, Percy, I am the Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon, and Maidens," she says. "But I also stand for stability, consistency, and permanence."

"I know..."

"Well, many people forget that. I do not change. I think it would be wise for you to do the same," she continues. "We need you as you are, as much as I hate to admit it."

**. . .**

Reyna looks up angrily, ready to kill whoever dared to disturb her. She hadn't had a mere second to herself all day, and she needed a second to just _think. _On winter days, she needs some time alone. Reyna still hasn't gotten used to the fact that there is nothing left for her back in New York anymore. She still longs to travel home; back to the snow. But there's no one to go with now, anyway, and no one understands when she talks about missing New York, so she just closes herself off and tries to survive the winter months alone.

Her heart clenches when she recognizes her intruder. To her complete horror, she feels the sensation of hot, salty water pooling behind her eyes. Reyna blinks once, hard, and swallows. Gods, she thought she was over this. Lupa had taught her not to mourn over the dead; they couldn't be helped. She owed it to herself, and Percy, to be the best that she could be, even if he was gone.

"Hey, boy," she whispers, standing up to stroke the pegasus on his silky nose. "I haven't seen you in awhile."

The horse whinnies mournfully and tosses its head.

"I know, I know," she sighs, leaning her head on his nose.

Blackjack neighs and shakes his wings out, stomping on the ground with one of his feet. Reyna's never really been good with pegasi; she never had a reason to be, when there was a horse-whisperer right next to her all the time. There weren't any pegasi in the stables, anyway. But even she recognizes that Blackjack is trying to tell her something.

She huffs in frustration. "I can't understand you!"

"That's because he's a pegasus, Reyna," Jason's voice comes from behind her.

A ghost of a smile passes over Reyna's lips. "He's saying something," she insists. "I just don't know what it is."

"Gotta love irony," Jason grumbles. His blue eyes look a thousand miles away, as if remembering better times.

Blackjack stops his foot again. Jason laughs quietly. "Sorry, Blackjack, but we don't have our translator anymore."

The horse looks from Jason to Reyna, then back again, before whimpering and looking at the ground.

Reyna reaches out and pats him on the back gently. She forces herself to swallow the lump in her throat. She's a Roman, and Romans don't cry.

"Gods, I can't believe it's been so long," Jason whispers. Reyna blinks. She's never heard Jason sound so... _timid, _before.

"May," she clarifies. "He left in May, almost two years ago, and never came back."

"Two years," Jason says brokenly. He shakes his head. "I just... still can't get my head around it."

"We don't even know what happened," Reyna notes.

"Maybe it's better that way," Jason responds darkly.

"You guys were... close, right?" Reyna cautiously questions.

For a second, he doesn't say anything, just stares at Blackjack. "Yeah." He lets the single word linger in the air for a moment, as if out of reverence for their past relationship, or something. "We grew up together. Lupa even called us Romulus and Remus—we were like... brothers."

Both Reyna and Jason stare at the ground while Jason speaks. A subtle awkwardness hung in the air. Although Reyna knows Jason well, and considers him one of her closest friends, she had never spent much time _alone _with him; just the two of them. It feels weird; empty, without Percy in between them.

"I guess only the good die young," Jason sighs. "Right, Blackjack?"

Blackjack tosses his head fiercely.

Jason turns and walks down the hill, leaving Reyna alone with the pegasus.

Reyna spends some more alone time at the top of the hill, before trudging down it in a daze. She walks to her empty cabin, slowly, and raids threw her stuff. She's not really sure what she's searching for, until she finds it: the picture. It's one of Reyna's absolute favorites. Gwen had snapped it one day, without them knowing. Jason was on the left, caught in mid laugh. Percy was right next to him, and Reyna was in the middle, her arms around both of the boys' necks. All three of them looked truly happy.

Reyna clutches the picture to her chest, and sobs.

**. . .**

On the other side of the country, Percy lays awake.

For once, possibly even the first time in his life, he wishes sleep would come. Sleep brings dreams, and dreams bring answers, which was better than trying to figure it out himself. His nights have been painfully dreamless lately; since the first night Annabeth went missing. He had a sick feeling that he knew where she was; Lexi had told him to "look on Mount Tam" if anyone went missing. Of course, Lexi is still annoyed, most likely, or busy looking for a way to contact her siblings. Either way, he won't be seeing her for a long time, he knows.

Percy would never admit it, but he feels... lonely. Not a common feeling for Percy, at all. But Grover's preoccupied, and leaving tomorrow, without him. Thalia still isn't speaking to him, which Percy thinks is completely irrational, but, if he's being honest, it's working. Contacting anyone else from Camp Jupiter is out of the question. Lastly, Annabeth is gone. _Gone. _He knows Thalia's sole reason for leaving on Zoe's quest is to find her, but she may not even be _alive._ The really sick thing is that Annabeth is the one person who would know what to do; what to say right now, and she's the one that's missing.

Percy gets out of bed. He trudges across the floor quietly, even though he doesn't have to worry about waking anyone up. He pulls on sneakers that had been carelessly thrown across the floor.

He had been planning on heading to the beach, but something intercepted him.

"Blackjack!" Percy exclaims.

_Yo, boss, _the pegasus replied casually, like it's completely normal to show up in Percy's cabin in the middle of the night, after disappearing for several days.

"What are you doing here?" he demands. "Where the hell have you been, anyway?"

_Home, _Blackjack sighs, _duh._

Percy winces. "Right. Home."

Blackjack was born and raised at Camp Jupiter, just like Percy. Because they could communicate, it sort of became decided that Blackjack belonged to Percy, though Percy didn't see it that way. Blackjack had abruptly disappeared one day, around the same time Percy had left for Camp Half-Blood. Percy had found him on the _Princess Andromeda, _naturally, because on top of everything Luke had done, he just _had _to steal Percy's pegasus as well. Typical.

Percy sees Jason and Reyna flash through his mind as Blackjack thinks of the "conversation" he had had with them, but the horse quickly shuts down the thought, sensing Percy's uneasiness with the subject.

_Anyway, we got another sea friend that needs your help._

Percy groans. "Again?"

_Yeah. I told the hippocampi __I'd come get you._

Percy glances behind him at his empty cabin. Deciding he'd rather deal with hippocampi problems than lay awake and be miserable, he follows Blackjack out the door.

But, he decides to grab Annabeth's Yankees cap first.

**. . .**

Percy doesn't know what the animal is, and it seems the rest of the life down at the bottom of the ocean don't know either. Simultaneously, he can sense them all thinking: _What the...?_

_Free it, Lord! _a hippocampus insists, but Percy isn't sure if he wants to. He gets the feeling that it's dangerous, whatever it is.

He strains to get a closer look at the animal. It looks almost like it's half cow, half serpent—oh. _Oh_. Dammit.

Percy almost groans, but the hippocampi stop him, warning him not to "hurt its feelings."

_We don't know what it is, _one hippocampus suggests. _Many strange things are stirring._

"Yeah, so I've heard," he mutters, and uncaps Riptide. The Ophiotaurus freaks out, straining against the net and mooing.

"Okay, okay fine," Percy surrenders, putting the sword away and going to work untangling the nets by hand. "You couldn't have just stayed dead, could you?" Percy complains, glaring at the gods-damned thing.

It moos in protest, thrashing against the nets and re-tangling them. Percy curses in Latin. A hippocampus scolds him for being so mean.

"Artemis is hunting you, you know," he tells the ancient cow-serpent. "It might be better for you if you just stayed here."

The Ophiotaurus whimpers, looking up at Percy with big, sad eyes. Percy sighs, starting to feel a little guilty. It's not its fault that it's a pawn in destroying the gods.

"Okay, I'm going to free you," Percy tells it, as he's about to get the final knot out of the net. "But you have to promise to _stay here. _Things are getting dangerous, and we don't want you to get killed again."

The animal nods, and swims away.

Percy's not sure that he trusts it, but doesn't feel like chasing after it, so he resurfaces and flags down Blackjack.

**. . .**

Nico whirls around. "Where did you come from?"

"I've been here the whole time," Percy explains calmly. "Invisible."

The kid's eyes grow wide. "Wow. Cool."

"You're thinking about following them on the quest, aren't you?" Percy gets right to the point. The fact of the matter is, he respects Nico for trying; really. But it's his idea, and he's not letting the little punk steal his chance from him. He wishes he could bring him, but the prophecy says five, and Percy isn't risky a sixth member.

Nico shuffles his feet.

"You can't."

"Because I'm too young?" Nico asks defiantly. His tone reminds Percy of Lexi.

"Because they won't let you. They'll catch you and send you back here. And... yeah, because you're too young," Percy lies. He knows from personal experience that a ten-year-old can handle just as much as any thirteen-year-old.

His shoulders sag as he shifts from foot to foot. "Maybe you're right. But _you _can go for me."

"Nico, I—"

"You can turn invisible. You can go!"

"But, with Zoe and everything..." a miniscule part of Percy thinks it might be better to rip his fingernails off than go on a quest with Zoe Nightshade.

"Don't let her find out. Follow them invisibly. Keep an eye on my sister! You have to," Nico pleads.

"Nico—"

"You're planning on it anyway, aren't you?"

Well, yeah, but he was only planning on being responsible for himself. When the Fates cut the string, there's basically nothing you can do, and the prophecy said one would "perish" and one would "be lost."

"Yeah," he admits. Something about Nico's desperate look makes it impossible to lie to him. "I have to find Annabeth. I have to help, even if they don't want me to."

"I... that's a big thing to promise, Nico, especially on a trip like this..."

"Promise," he insists.

"I'll do my best. I promise that."

Apparently, Nico decides that that's good enough. "Get going then!"

Before he can over think it, he takes off running up Half-Blood Hill. As if on cue, Blackjack lands next to him.

_If I was guessing, boss, I'd say you need a getaway horse. You interested?_

"Yeah. Let's fly."


	8. Of Sexism and Cleverness

_raeganb123: Haha, yes, sort of ;)_

_Terri M: Haha, it's cool ;) I'm just thankful you took the time to review at all. A lot of people don't. [*AHEM, AHEM*, anyone who doesn't review that is reading this!] I know, I'm so mean to Reyna. A nice person would have let Percy tell her ;P I know how ya feel, and I am sorry that updates take so long, but I simply don't have the time. _

_ducks-r-homicidal: THANK YOU! Nice to know someone agrees with me. Ew... I don't like Octavian. He's an interesting, well-balanced character, and I think he's brilliantly created, but I still don't like him. Yes, yes, I already know how I'm going to handle that part ;) Have I ever told you how I lovelovelove how you point those helpful little tidbits out to me? Well, I love it ;)_

_StarlitReader: Aw =] thank-you, thank-you, thank-you. Oh, thanks, I was worried about handling that whole transition. Yeah... haha, Roman Percy would know better ;p It was sad, wasn't it? I'm so strange, I get affected by my own writing. Is that normal? I don't think so... _

_Daughter of Chaos 98: YES, IT IS! *GASP*! _

_WishingOnAFallingStar17: Thanks ;) haha... I have actually done that before. Poor iPod, it gets so much abuse when I read good fanfics... Well, he won't run into Jason and Reyna, I decided that would just be too cruel for poor Percy. I don't know if he could handle it, with his fatal flaw and all. He'd blow it. But he may just see some other Romans... (in, I don't know, the next chapter, perhaps... ;)) thanks for your review!_

_iStoleYourBlueMoonIceCream: Yes, I know. I'm so terribly mean to her, aren't I? _

_lightningkid333: Yeah =( if it was my series, I wouldn't have killed her. Thanks :) appreciate your review, thank you!_

_Power of Fiction: thanks, your review is too! =]_

_Hedley is Amazing: Thanks =] that part was my favorite to write, and I think it came out the best. I think so, too._

_Sherlein: Ooh, good :) Yeah... Lexi will be coming... soon. Ish. Yeah, I had to put a little bit of chemistry in there ;) _

_redlox2: in divine mode, they are probably all their essences combined into one. I can't be positive, of course, because the books are from heroes' perspectives, and heroes don't see their divine form. I'm sure Mars was just playing dumb, like Nico, because both Juno and Hera know about Jason. _

_xX all hail ceasar Xx: aw, thanks. Yeah, I like writing about Jason. It helps me to understand him better._

_Shellyrocks82: thanks, as always ;) nah, it's okay, no worries. Sometimes I need a little bit of harshness to remind me that I haven't updated in two months :p_

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_Darth Lumiya Skywalker: Nothing much, you? Aww, thank you, I'm so happy! Nope. Percy is a Roman in this story, and he will stay that way. I've only just begun to hint at Jeyna, more to come._

_MyLuckyNinja: It's not really a Jeyna fic... I mean, I guess some of them will be featured, but they aren't the main focus. Thanks ;)_

_Dewfrost314: Thanks =] Yes, hopefully!_

_PureAwesomeness13: I know, it's by no definition fair. I agree with you! Thanks for your review!_

_WonderfullyALICE: Well, I usually don't reply to reviews unless they're from the most recent chapter. I really appreciate this review :) thank you so much! Yeah... I haven't brought much Percabeth in yet; mostly because a lot of the other people reading this keep asking for Percy/Reyna. Perceyna? Rency? Haha, I'm really bad with couple names. Anyway. Yeah, there's not a lot of Percabeth so far, but they will end up together. It's not really a romance story... there may be some fluff. This story can get kind of confusing, because I have to jump around. I can't exactly rewrite the whole story. As of chapter six, he like just turned twelve. For the rest of the story, he just ages according to whichever book I'm focusing on. As of this chapter, he's thirteen, because the main focus is TC. Yeah, he's a bit OOC, but that was done on purpose. Thanks again, and I hope to hear from you in the future!_

_It's getting really time consuming replying to all of your reviews! Not that I mind it ;)_

_Check my profile for more details, if you're curious. I put all the information you could possibly need on there. The next update might be a little late._

_Note: Remember Dakota, the daughter of Minerva I created? Well, obviously I had to change that. So I renamed that character Riley. Riley is an ex-Hunter._

* * *

_Chapter Thirteen: Of Sexism and Cleverness  
_

"You are _impossible." _Zoë's tone is menacing, but Percy brushes it off. She's probably been practicing that tone for years.

"Actually, I think _you're _the impossible one," Percy snaps. "Why do you hate me so much, anyway?"

"Because thou art a boy!"

"You should really learn to speak English sometime," Percy rolls his eyes."And I thought Hunters were _against _sexism."

Zoë scowls at him. "We are against sexism towards _females."_

"That's really screwed up,"

"_'_Tis not!"

"You're showing that you're against sexism by being sexist."

"Watch your mouth, boy."

_"Artemis _doesn't act like this."

"_'_Tis _Lady_ Artemis," she growls. "And, thou has personally disgraced us before."

"What are you _talking about?"_

"Reyna!"

Percy winces internally, but no one is within earshot, except possibly Bianca. "Even Artemis said it wasn't my fault. She was _ten._"

Zoë snorts. "And Riley."

"That wasn't my fault either! You hate me because she's my friend?" He has to make a conscious effort to keep his voice down.

"Precisely," Zoë says stingily. "I suppose it was foolish of me to expect that that barbarian could amount to anything."

"Excuse me?"

"I called her a barbarian. Just like the rest of you."

"For your information," Percy's snarls, "your own patron is a so-called barbarian."

"Lady Artemis had no part of Rome."

"But she does have a Roman side. I've seen it."

Zoë glares, but doesn't respond.

"And what about Sparta, anyway? You have the nerve to call Romans barbaric?"

"I had nothing to do with Sparta."

"It's still part of Greece."

"Yes, but all of Rome is barbaric. Only one city in Greece was so."

"We aren't barbaric just because we did things differently. And apparently, our way worked better."

"Cocky, rude, and ignorant." Zoë shakes her head. "Typical, from a child of Rome."

Percy steals a quick glance and the others. Thalia and Grover are still distracted, but could hear them if the tried. Bianca seems like she's listening, but keeps her mouth pressed in a thin line.

"Zoë, keep it down."

The Hunter arches an eyebrow. "Oh, thou has not told them?" she says loudly.

Percy bites back a curse. Idiot. Zoë's smirk reveals her intentions.

"Not told who what?" Thalia asks, getting up and approaching them.

"Nothing," Percy says, glaring at Zoë.

"We were just talking about—"

"The General," he finishes quickly, his eyes flickering to Zoë's. "Who do you think it is?"

Thalia looks back and forth between them with a strange expression on her face. Zoë's nostrils flare.

"You... ugh!" She storms away.

"What's with her?" Thalia motions to Zoë with her head.

"She's just..."

"Zoë." Thalia finishes.

Percy laughs. "Exactly."

**. . .**

"So... how do you like being a Hunter so far?"

Bianca purses her lips. "You're not still mad at me for joining, are you?"

"Nah. I just—"

"Don't like Zoë," she finishes for him.

"Um, yeah."

"Sorry. Just... a vibe I was getting."

"It's fine," Percy tells her honestly. "It's not like it's a secret."

"You guys have bad history... right?"

It's phrased like a question, but Percy can tell it's not one. "Um..."

"You were arguing kind of loudly the other night."

"Yeah," he says simply.

"Actually, I've um, been wanting to talk to you alone," Bianca admits. She's biting her lip, the way Lexi did when she ways deciding whether or not to do something. "I wanted to ask you something."

Subconsciously, his guard goes up, but he nods and tells her to go ahead and ask.

"Where did your tattoo come from?"

Percy tenses. Vesta had mentioned that some people would be able to see it, but he would never have guessed she would be one of those people.

She blushes slightly. "I saw it while they were cleaning your arm wound."

Percy never would have pegged her as the observant type, but apparently it had been wrong to underestimate her. "It's kind of a long, painful story..."

"Sorry, I know it's not my business," she says quickly. "I just met a girl who had the same one, and I'm... curious."

"Oh, Lexi..." Percy groans. He really should learn to expect this sort of thing from her.

"You know her?" Bianca demands.

"Yes, I know her," he says irritably. "What did she say to you?"

"Nothing, really. She said she wanted to meet me, introduced herself, than left really quickly."

"I guess that's not so bad," he mutters. He's still peeved, though.

"What's going on?" Bianca asks, her eyebrows drawing together. "I feel like something's happening behind my back."

Percy laughs humorlessly. "There's something going on behind everyone's backs, Bianca."

**. . .**

"It's my fault the monster came after us. It's my responsibility."

Percy opens his mouth to deny this, but what could he say? She was right. It wouldn't be fair for someone else to die due to her actions, while she survived. On the other hand... she had siblings who needed her. Percy couldn't stand it if he had to break the news to Nico. And Lexi... she'd kill him. Gods knows how long she's been waiting for a sister. Bianca had just gotten her life back. He couldn't let her just go and lose it.

"Here," she picks up the small figure of Hades and hands it to Percy. "If anything happens, give that to Nico. Tell him... tell him I'm sorry."

"Bianca, no!" Percy shouts.

But she's gone, and he can already tell there's no stopping her.

**. . .**

"MOO!"

The single sound is like nails on a chalkboard, at this particular moment. He slips his way out of the group as quickly as possible and runs to the edge of the Dam.

"What are you doing here?" He shouts down at it. The Ophiotaurus moos desperately, like she's trying to warn him.

"I told you not to follow me!" Percy continues, ignoring the weird looks he's getting from the people standing nearby.

It flips and moos again, its cries getting increasingly urgent.

"I can't come with you. My friends are inside. And you shouldn't be here, anyway!"

He can tell somethings really wrong—the air is almost radiating danger. Lupa had taught him to trust his instincts, and his instincts were telling him to jump into the water. But he can't leave the rest of the group behind. They probably didn't even realize that anything was wrong.

Percy turns to go find his friends and get out of there, but something stops him in his tracks.

Great. Just great. Exactly what he needs right now: an army of undead warriors.

He sprints away and ducks into the elevator with a tour.

"We'll be going down seven-hundred feet," the tour guide is saying. Her long black hair is tied up, and her glasses are tinted. "Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks."

The tour group chuckles, but Percy's pretty sure she wasn't joking. Something about the way she carries herself; her voice...

"Minerva," Percy says, low enough so that only she can hear him. The woman turns to him slowly.

"I suppose you could say that." Her intense gaze makes him shiver.

"Is there another way out of the dam?" he asks hurriedly, not bothering to figure out what she really meant by that comment. Minerva speaks in riddles, like her children.

"It's a dead end," an annoyed tourist says from behind. "For heaven's sake. The only way out is the other elevator."

Percy turns to glare at her, but the elevator opens, so he doesn't know who was talking.

"Go right ahead, folks," Minerva tells the group. "Another ranger is waiting for you at the end of the corridor."

Percy hangs back. "What are you doing here?"

Minerva removes her glasses. "Helping my daughters."

"Wait, daughter_s_?"

"Yes," she rolls her eyes. "That's what I said, isn't it?"

"But, who else—"

"Doesn't matter, you only need to concentrate on one," she snaps. "But I do suggest that you keep her and Zoë separated."

"Riley is here." He feels like she punched him in the stomach. His cover is unraveling. First, Bianca almost figured it out, now he's probably going to run into a Roman who thinks he's dead. Riley would be furious with him.

Minerva nods. "Don't blow it."

"Thanks for the encouragement."

"I am not here for encouragement."

"Right," Percy mutters under his breath, and turns to walk away.

"Oh, and young man!" she calls after him. "There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it."


	9. Hide and Seek

**redlox2:** Yeah, that irritated me too. I didn't like Annabeth's hesitance at all... there are plenty of girls that would be very happy to have someone like Percy, and she doesn't seem to understand how lucky she is. That's why I liked TLH so much... it made me extremely happy to see her so distressed over Percy. I love Artemis and Hestia... they're my favorite gods. Thanks; that conversation was really fun to write. I love Zoe so much ;)

**bulletforyourdreams1712: **Thirteen, fourteen... ah, who knows? All I know is that he was born in August, and he was thirteen in SOM. Since TTC takes place in December, I'm pretty sure he was fourteen. But I'm not Rick Riordan here; just a wacky fanfic writer. BOTL is my favorite, and I can't wait to get to that, but there's just so much to write about in TTC. Unfortunately, on fanfiction, you have to write the story in the proper order. That means that I have to write more about TTC (even though I don't feel like it, don't tell anyone ;p) in order to add to the rising action and set things up for what will happen later in the story. Oh, the woes of fanfiction. Thanks for reviewing!

**bananaBanks: **Nope, different people. Thank you for your review =]

**Daughter of Chaos 98: **I guess it was, considering the abuse I put you people through... ;p

**PercyxArtemis:** Wow, amazing masterpiece :) thanks so much. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I read SON in about a day and a half... would have probably been less, but contrary to popular belief, I do have a life... well, kind of, at least ;p

**raeganb:** Ah, raegan, I've missed you too ;)

**PureAwesomeness:** OHMYGOSH I know! *cue ominous suspense music*

**lighteningkid333:** Thanks ;) I liked writing her. She's so very fascinating.

**Ac: **Thanks, that's really nice of you ;) So happy to hear you like it so much.

**iStoleYourBlueMoonIceCream:** Oh, I know. Octavian id so pervy, and so disgusting. I'm pretty sure he does want Reyna... or maybe he's just a creeper. Or maybe both ;p

**rainbowfreak37:** I know, I so wish I could've kept her alive. I'm still mad at Riordan for killing her off. I'm still mad at Riordan for a lot of things. I'm sure I've mentioned my anger towards the absence of a Percabeth reunion... ugh, I can't even think about it without getting angry. Anyway... that was off topic ;p well, thanks so much for reviewing. Stick around, yes? ;)

**Tally Jennifer Youngblood:** You didn't, by any chance, get your name from Uglies, did you? I don't think I've ever known of anyone else who's read that series. Anyway. Umm... thanks, I guess. It'd be nice if you elaborated on that a bit...

**MIA.C:** I'M GLAD YOU THINK SO

**UpturnedTorch:** I do so hate Octavian. I really appreciate that suggestion... and it's certainly an interesting one. Thanks so much!

**Alice:** Yeah, I'm sure Reyna will be a lot more forgiving than Annabeth. You're exactly write about Percy and Annabeth's relationship... I didn't know what people were going to think, but you hit the nail on the head. It's real, but it's built on lies, and how can that work? He'll make it back, promise. Or I'd have absolutely no motivation to finish this story at all. If you think it's been good so far, then just wait until I release all the drama into it ;p I know there was a time skip. Actually, that did not slip past me. It was done on purpose. I'll explain it, I will. Mm, I'm a "Perceyna" fan as well, except not really because it will always be Percabeth but this is fun to write and craft. Alright. You make good points and you're obviously paying more attention than some other readers ;) They are disjointed and I'm disgusted with their quality. I have to go back and fix them. Everything's a little bit out of place and messed up right now. But as I'm writing this story, a lot of time passes. I skip a lot because it just gets too long and I can't rewrite it completely in cannon, y'know? So yeah, I know I need to elaborate and I will. Yeah, I'll go into all that. But basically, I'm revealing very little more than Percy knows. And as it's explained to him, it's explained to you. So thank you for your incredibly long, well-thought out and genuinely encouraging and wise reviews. They mean so much and I'm so, so thankful.

**magicdemi-god223:** Yeah, things are about to get a little crazy...

**Antoinette Castellan:** Thank you :) I can't even tell you how much I appreciate you saying that.

**superfan1414: **Don't know how long it took you to do that, but it made me feel majorly guilty and all convicted. So I guess it served its purpose, even though it didn't because I didn't update anywhere near the time when you sent that. Oh, well.

**Bragi151:** Ah, hello again. Thanks, first of all :) I totally know what you're talking about... I noticed something too. Whether or not I'll integrate that... well, I'd like to, but it'd be tricky. I hope there is no trouble between them... haven't they already had enough? Still, it seems that that is the most likely thing to happen. If there is drama, I hope it will involve Reyna, because I just love her.

**likeitmatters:** Oh, thank you :) I think I prefer Perceyna... just sounds cool, whether it's an accepted term or not ;p Happy (extremely late) holidays to you too!

**Cupcakes:** Thanks :) Yeah... interesting is a good word.

**Hannah:** I did replay a chapter! I must've replaced the wrong chapter or something, because one of those two chapters was missing. I don't know what happened to it... now I'm kind of annoyed. Whatever. Well, thanks for pointing that out. It's all fixed now. Um... I don't exactly know what you mean... you want him to change and like the Greeks instantly, but still be all Roman? That's not really possible. How would you have done that, honestly? And this is not really a romance story... like, at all. I hate few things more than sappy-romance, and I don't plan on allowing Percy to get all bogged-down with romance until he's older. Percabeth will come, just much more subtly and understated than you, perhaps, prefer. I do understand that a lot of the chapters were short... again, it's all fixed now. Thanks for reviewing, and being brave enough to actually say your real opinions. A lot of people wouldn't.

** MIA:** Wow, thanks. That means a lot, honestly.

**Natalie:** No. I wouldn't bother writing this if he was going to become all Greek-like-normal-Percy. I mean, I love Greek-Percy, but I love Roman-Percy too, and that's what websites like fanfiction are for, I believe. Haha it's okay... most people don't even review at all (*AHEM*). Thanks for taking the time!

** xPercyx:** Thanks a lot =)

**Bittersweet Blossom:** I swear I already replied to this. Maybe it was just in my head. NO, I definitely have typed this out before. Ohhh, for the love of all that is good in this world... ANYWAY. Thanks :) Percy is driving me crazy too. I am very sick of his pessimism, but you see, I have to make him this way in order to create rising action. The woes of plot planning.

**ihatemakingupusernames:** I hate it too. Well. Thanks :)

**CeliaRoses:** I AM PREPARED. Thankyouthankyou soso much! I'm assuming you just picked this story up recently... well I started it last year, before SON, so I just started editing to fit the new book. That note was for the vets who've braved my insanity over this year :p And ohmygoodness you're so sweet and I've tortured you so much that I can't even stand it. I'M SORRY.

**Megan:** Thanks :) I know. You're absolutely right. But I am a procrastinator who procrastinates and so... y'know. All that. And I wanted to stop her. I almost did. But then you start seriously screwing with plotlines and that just doesn't work.

**LiVinG iN a RaiNBoWwoNdErLaNd:** Oh, thanks :) Yes, Percy's Split Personality Disorder seems to be disappearing. As in percies are meshing. I like it when that happens, don't you? Yes, Lexi's reaction outta be interesting. Because she is interesting and GOSHIloveher. I was not supposed to love her. Because loving leads to sueism and sueism is one of the world's greatest evils. But.

**Tylla:** Thankyouthankyouthankyou :) I'm sorry and thankyouagainohmygosh.

**AdriftatSea: **Wow. Thanks. Honestly means a lot, seeing as I've said this to other people and I understand the level of respect you have to have for a story in order to say that. So wow again, and thanks again. I wanted to save her. I really did. But the purpose is an AU that fits into a cannon... so I kinda had to... URG I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY RICKY KILLED HER OFF. She was a great character! Kill Nico, for gods' sakes!_  
_

**anon: **Wow, ever. Thanks sosomuch, you sweet reviewer you.

**death: **Thank you, thank you, and thanks again. It sounds rushed and forced, but I honestly can't even explain how much it means to hear you say that. Aw, now I've gone all sappy on you.

**DevilSushiFish: **So, your username is awesome. Which means I love yo already. And now I love you even more because you're reviewing. Umm.. I'd say yes, but I doubt I will. But if I don't that makes me a horrible person with too many update lags. So yes, you can.

**Lynn: **Yeah. Thanks. Too long. I know. I'm sorry. It has been forever. Thanks.

**Roland: **No, the really sad thing is it's not because I have a life, it's just because I'm a lazy loser.

**Leah: **First. Thanks dearie :) And secondly. I know. Believe me, I know. Which makes me even more terrible.

**Piano player3: **Thank you. Oh, and thank you _a lot, _because it's one thing to get a review complimenting my story, but it's even better when someone compliments my writing.

**Paperback-Insomniac: **Oh, thank you :) as I just said, a compliment to my writing means even more than a compliment to my story.

**QuickSilver1801: **Hey ;) thank you! Oh, yes, reactions... :p

**Searox:** Hello, hello, and thanks for reviewing. That's true. But may I remind you, Percy still has a long way to go. Still working on blending personalities together. I considered doing that. But y'know, I didn't :p

**Shellyrocks82: **Thanks ;) Well, she's been around a long time. Seen a lot. Knows a lot. It would make sense she would know. Totally going all the way to SoN. Already planning for it.

**XxFlameofDeathxX: **It's not exactly soon, is it?

**ChaosIdeals: **Yeah. It's definitely shameful :p Thanks :)

**Kris and Evil Kris's Bureau: **No... sadly, it has not been soon, and for this, I apologize.

**Soccerstar66: **Oh, well I'm glad you found it again :) Thanks for sending a review. No, I don't have a beta. I don't really want one, either... but I do appreciate the offer.

* * *

**Note: **What? She's _updating? _No. Can't be!

I'm sorry, with a capital _s _and a capital _orry_. (kudos to all of you who know what that's from.) So yeah, I'm a horrible person and I'm sorry and all that stuff you already know.

What? Six months? I don't believe you.

I won't lecture you on how I actually already had this whole chapter written, and while I was deleting old documents that are no longer needed, I accidentally deleted this too. And we absolutely do not have to discuss how NO, it was NOT, in fact, saved anywhere else. And I know you don't want to hear about how this depressed me so much I didn't even let myself think about it for a month. And then after that I was... well, y'know... um... uhmm...

**Anyway, **I'm not abandoning this story. I will never abandon this story. I still think about it all the time, I just had trouble getting this particular chapter out. And_ if, _by some miniscule chance I _do_ decide to give this up, I'll have a long author's note with several incredibly good reasons, as well as thoroughly explaining the entire plot, what I had been planning to write, and the conclusion. Because there is nothing worse than an author never telling you how something ends. So don't ask and don't worry about it.

I've been rewriting. Like, a _lot. _I didn't take anything out, just condensed it into longer chapters that made more sense and had better writing quality. I also switched it to past tense. I'm not done yet. The chapters that are rewritten have a bolded date at the bottom. I'm just going crazy with the bold lately. I just love it. So professional and organized.

I treat you all terribly, I know. More apologies and all that. You guys are amazing and I totally don't deserve this much attention, but _thank you._

**Warning:** Cursing. Strong cursing. Lots. And the thee's and the thou's are probably mixed up. I don't claim to be an expert on old English._  
_

* * *

_Chapter Nine: Hide and Seek_

"Oh my god, do you always kill people when they blow their nose?"

The high-pitched voice caused him to jump. He turned, expecting some sort of deity or _empusa_ or something with a minimal level of importance that he needed to direct his attention to. But the girl looks normal; irritated, too. She kept whining and complaining, topping off her performance with emphatic hand gestures.

"You're mortal," he muttered under his breath. She had to be. There was nothing about her that seemed powerful or otherworldly. She seemed perfectly normal, albeit a bit odd, what with her flaming hair and the doodles all over her clothes.

"What's _that _supposed to mean? Of course I'm mortal! How did you get that sword past security?" The mortal ranted, studying him with bright green eyes that sort of creeped Percy out. "Is there like, some weird event that I don't know about going on? I keep seeing teenagers running around with weapons."

Immediately, he directed his full attention to her. He wasn't sure exactly why she had seen things for what they truly were, but it hardly mattered. The Mist was an abstract and unusual object, and Percy had been taught not to rely on it. He'd sort of broken that rule _a lot, _but the point was Lupa and his other trainers had always made it clear that he was to extract information from any person available. The mortals often had something interesting to contribute, and each one saw something different.

"Wait, you've seen others like me?"

The girl stepped back a bit and blinked, surprised by Percy's sudden forceful tone.

"Um... yeah. I saw this girl... she was scary."

_Scary. _How constructive. He fought the urge to snap. Reyna had often chided him on how irritable he became during stressful situations.

"Long black hair and gray eyes?"

"Yeah, like really intense gray eyes. She had a bow and arrow thingie." The mortal pulled back her hands into a stance somewhat resembling an archer.

Percy frowned. Riley hated using bows. Her archery was impeccable, naturally, but she would only fight with it unless the situation was absolutely dire. It was not exactly the most comforting thought at the moment. Suddenly, with the force of a truck, something occurred to him that he had never considered before: Camp Jupiter could be in much worse condition than Camp Half-Blood. He had never thought that possible. Their borders were fortified, and they had thousands of available campers and alumni that could certainly hold off an army of monsters. Unless there were more monsters than fighters. The thought brought a round of nausea along with it.

He couldn't think that way. He would go insane. Quite literally.

"Okay, umm..." Percy's voice dangled in the air.

"Rachel," the girl said quickly. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare."

"Okay Rachel, I need you to tell me which way she was going."

"What, ex-girlfriend or something?"

Her comment took him by surprise. "Um... no. Well... I—it doesn't matter. I just need to stay away from her."

"Um, okay," Rachel said, narrowing her eyes. "I don't know where she went. I think it might've been that way. Now are you going to answer _my _questions, or should I scream for security?"

"No! I mean, I'm kind of in a hurry," Percy huffed, noting how extreme of an understatement that was. "I'm in trouble."

"In a hurry or in trouble?"

"Um... sort of both."

What was with this chick, anyway?

Rachel saw something over his shoulder and made a strangled noise in the back of her throat. "Bathroom. Now."

For reasons that didn't make any sense to him, he listened to her and ducked inside. Part of his mind screamed at him to get back out there. What kind of half-blood left a mortal out there to fight for them? A year ago, he would've chosen to stand and fight. And he would've died.

Gods, what was _happening _him?

"All clear," Rachel told him in a squeaky voice. "But you'd better hurry."

"I owe you one, Rachel Elizabeth Dare," he told her honestly, wondering if he'd ever get the chance to repay her.

"What are those things? They look like—"

"Skeletons?"

Rachel nodded uneasily.

"Do yourself a favor. Forget it. Forget you ever saw me." Before the words were even out of his mouth, he knew she wouldn't. And really, who could blame her? He didn't even know this girl, but he had to give her some warning that this wasn't a world she wanted to be a part of.

"Forget you tried to kill me?"

Percy laughed dryly. "Yeah. That too."

Percy scanned the room, looking for Rileys and skeletons. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted her. She looked desperate; like she was searching for something. And he'd need to walk right past her to get to the exit.

"But who are you?"

"Good question," Percy answered involuntarily, distracted.

"What?"

"Perc—gotta go!" And he did, but he was not exactly sure where _to _go, because skeletons were behind him and Riley was in front of him. Ducking behind a group of chatty tourists, Percy took a deep breath and pulled the hood of his sweatshirt up. And he didn't look at all creepy in his bedraggled state, with a black sweatshirt hiding the majority of his face and his head facing the ground. And nobody at all gave him weird looks either.

Struggling to look nonchalant and undoubtedly failing epically, Percy walked right past her, keeping his head turned to the opposite side of the room. His forearm tingled, like the tattoo was re-burning itself into his skin.

He was almost positive he only imagined Riley's gasp.

**. . .**

"'Tis not enough," Zoë growled, slamming the supplies that they _did _still have on the ground, "that I must be on a quest with a boy. No, it has to be a _Roman _boy. And he has to carry _my _sword." She laughed bitterly. "A Roman. Carrying _my _sword."

"Some of your precious Hunters are Roman, you know," Percy offered. "I don't think they'd like hearing you now."

"Some of my precious Hunters that stabbed Lady Artemis in the back," she spat.

"You saw Riley," Percy sighed. Well _damn._

Zoë rolled her eyes.

"Did you talk to her?" Percy asked quietly. It was one thing to feel like a liar all the time, but aside from all the complications, he just missed her. There was always something missing.

"No. Just saw her from across the room. She probably followed you, like a love struck prostitute."

"Just because Diana flipped out doesn't mean she's a fucking _prostitute!" _Percy blew up, because really, he can only take so much crap on one quest.

"You do not understand." Her words carried a biting chill that Percy was positive only she could manage. Zoë was actually trembling, and Percy had a frightening vision of the Hulk. "Have you ever been betrayed? Back-stabbed?"

Percy opened his mouth to assure her, yes, of course he had. But he tried to think of one specific moment, and came up with nothing.

"'Tis what I thought. So I suggest thou should not judge."

"Maybe you shouldn't either," he countered. He'd never been one to give up on an argument.

"I do not."

"Yes, you do. You judge girls who don't agree with your way of life. And you judge guys all the fucking time. You don't know me, and you don't know Riley, or Reyna, so why don't you just shut your fucking mouth?"

"How dare you!" Zoë's eyes were set on fire, and she balled her hands into fists.

But he wasn't done. Enough is enough, already. "You're just saying that because you know it's true. You say you hate your sisters because they judged you and kicked you out without sympathy, but that's exactly what you did to Riley. And then you treat anyone who doesn't join you like a freak, just because they're different, just like your sisters did to you. And you sit around hating everyone with a dick because Hercules fucked you and then left."

Zoë's hand came flying at a thousand miles an hour, no doubt leaving a huge mark. "Do not _ever_ speak to me that way again!"

"Why the fuck not? You need to hear it!" they were literally screaming now. Grover shuffled his feet and fiddled with his read pipes, and Thalia stabbed at the ground with Zoë's knife, which was probably rather fortunate for Percy, seeing as the Hunter's eyes shone with a murderous light. "I'm not Hercules! I'm not Theseus! Just because I'm a guy doesn't mean I leave girls sobbing on seashores while I go off and take all the credit!"

"I never said you were!" Zoë shouted, throwing the bag in her hand on the ground as hard as she can. "But you are just as heartless! I can _see _it!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

Zoë's eyes slid to Thalia and Grover, who are about ten feet away. "Riley. And Reyna. And the two over there. All the Romans. All the Greeks. Lupa and Chiron. Is there anyone thou has _not_ lied to?" Percy doesn't know why she'd even bother, but she lowers her voice.

"Lupa knows," Percy muttered pathetically.

"Oh, good. Now you are only lying to 999 people, instead of one thousand. Congratulations."

"Do you think I wanted to?" he hissed. He couldn't tell if she's still shaking, or if he is. "Do you honestly think I had a fucking choice?"

"Then you are a pawn."

"So are you, for fucks sake! We all are! There's nothing I can do about that!"

"So you are helpless."

"That—that's not what I meant."

"But 'tis the truth. You are just as bad as anyone in the Titan Army," she accused, shaking her head in disgust. "You are betraying everyone."

"Because I _have to!" _he snapped, a little louder than intended.

"But _why?"_

"Because someone needed to step up! I—I couldn't tell them where I was going. And I couldn't tell the Greeks where I was coming from. Don't you get that?" And just like that, he was pleading for someone to _pleaseplease _understand; searching for someone's approval.

"No, I do not. 'Tis pointless."

"Look," Percy said desperately, "I don't know why. It doesn't make sense to me either. I don't _like _Juno, but I'm pretty sure she knows what she's doing. And—"

"'Tis not thine right to reveal a secret that has been kept for so long."

Better than he could've said it. "Um... yeah, exactly."

"Fair enough."

Her tone was icy, but well-controlled and less confrontational. "Wh—what are you saying?"

"I am saying I do understand. After all, I have not revealed anything either, 'tis Lady Artemis's doing." She said it with a shrug, like the fact was obvious and unimportant. "After all, we all have our role to play."

Honestly, what was he supposed to say to that? She had got to be bipolar. Percy hadn't forgotten about the welt on his cheek.

"But you are so much stronger than you realize."

"Don't lecture me on my own powers," Percy grumbled.

"I am not. I am speaking of your influence."

"My influence," he repeated dully.

"Yes, boy," she snapped. Her eyes flashed again, but the spark vanished quickly. "Thou now possesses the trust of Romans and Greeks. You are a _leader, _Percy. Perhaps if you stopped moping and picked your head up, thou might see that."

"You _bitch_—"

"You will see the Legion again. You are needed _here. _So _lead, _already."

"That's a lot fucking harder than it sounds." He felt neglected. Dumped here. He knew what he was supposed to be doing, but how could he bring himself to act as though nothing was wrong?

"I am aware," Zoë said, staring him down with a fierce determination. "'Tis hard to take control of a group of people. Especially when thou does not feel any loyalty to the people they must lead. Yet, thou _does _feel some loyalty. You are here for the girl, are you not?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Then there are no buts. Allies are allies. Friends are friends. Enemies are enemies. Thou will be useless until thee figures out which is which."

"If you are putting thyself through these trials but produce no fruit from thine efforts, thy time here is useless," she continued.

"I thought you hated me! When did you start giving advice?" And when did she start making sense? And above all: when did he start listening?

"I do not hate thee," Zoë sighed, casting her eyes down. "Perhaps... perhaps I fear you, Percy Jackson."

**. . .**

"Oh my gods," Percy forced out, completely in awe. Lexi told him it was bad, but he didn't think she'd meant _this _bad. The ruins had materialized in a minimum of two years. _Two years. _Percy swallowed hard. There was always room for it to get worse.

Zoë nodded grimly. "Yes. This is bad. Very bad."

"Whoa," Thalia muttered, tapping on the glass of the car window. "Did you just see that?"

"See what?" Zoë questioned casually, but Percy sees her posture stiffen.

"I swear I just saw... people."

"Whoa, Thalia," Percy turned around from the passenger seat to gape at her. "People? Really?"

Thalia crossed her arms and rolled her eyes in the way that only Thalia could.

"Shut up, Jackson," she muttered. "Like... people with weapons."

Zoë gripped the steering wheel with both hands. "Kronos's army."

Thalia frowned and chewed on one of her fingernails thoughtfully. "No. They didn't look evil. And why would they be over by the Bay Area?"

"Because 'tis right near Mount Tamalpais," she replied evenly. Percy was impressed by how fluid and smooth her words sounded. Zoë seemed to have dropped the cold-bitchy act lately. They had still fought over the past few days, but she seemed to have enlisted him as someone she could trust.

Percy's eyes wandered over to the direction behind them, but it was long out of sight now.

"There are more pressing matters on hand," Zoë whispered to Percy, taking her eyes off the road momentarily to give him a pointed look. "Do not allow thyself to be tempted."

He felt the truth of her words. He knew it was about to get a lot harder. "I know," Percy sighed. "I just wish—"

"I know," Zoë nodded, and so quickly he thinks he imagined it, grabbed his hand and squeezed gently.

**. . .**

"Have I… served thee well?" Zoe whispered, looking up at Artemis.

"With great honor," Artemis said softly. "The finest of my attendants."

Zoë's face relaxed. "Rest. At last." She takes Thalia's hand tentatively. "I am sorry we argued. We could have been sisters."

"It's my fault," Thalia said, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, men—everything."

"Perhaps not all men," Zoe murmured, smiling weakly. "Perhaps all three of us were right, in different ways. Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

Percy pulled out Riptide and gently pressed it into her palm. Her fingers closed around it and she sighed. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like... like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword."

"Zoë—"

"I meant what I said," she told him, speaking with as much authority as she can muster. "You will listen?"

"I know you did," Percy replied truthfully. He couldn't explain how thankful he was to hear someone finally give him something he knew he deserved. He had needed to hear it. "Yes, I'll listen."

He wanted to thank her somehow, but the Hunter's amber eyes locked with his, and he knew she understood. Zoë nodded and turned back to Artemis. "Stars. I can see the stars again, my lady."

Her weak breathing, visible in the chilly air, stretched into the sky.

"Yes, my brave one," Artemis said, swallowing hard. "They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars," Zoë repeated, one last time.

**. . .**

The trip home seemed to be stuck in a slow-oozing haze. It hardly seemed real. And part of him wished it wasn't. Leaving San Francisco hurt a lot worse than last time. He caught Thalia staring at the base of the mountain, and he was hit by another wave of guilt. He knew Jason was down there, and what right did he have to hide that information from her? But Zoë's words echoed in his head: _we all have our role to play._

Well, it couldn't remove the guilt, but at least it would help him sleep at night.

Percy didn't feel much like celebrating. For now, his brain was insisting on looking at his current situation in a glass-half-empty kind of way. It had been some time since he'd experienced death so up-close and personal. He might have only barely known Bianca, and he might have spent his recent years with Zoë Nightshade as an enemy, but it was still difficult to watch someone's life come to a close, and harder still to set off with someone and be forced to come home without them. He'd never been on a quest that had changed so much before.

He could see the results of the impact on each individual. Artemis had lost two Hunters and gained one in only a week. Nico was an only child now, and Annabeth could possibly have a mortal family back in her life. The council had finally voted to act. Even the Ophiotaurus had found a home for himself.

The more he thought about it, the more it bothered him. It was so bittersweet; so unfair.

And now, what next?

He'd have to stay in New York, pretend everything was back to normal.

_You are needed here. So lead, already, _Percy repeated in his head. He turned it over and over in his mind, trying to somehow process exactly how it was that he should do that. He didn't come up with an answer; not a defined one, anyway.

Nico reacted much in the way Percy had expected him to. He could hardly blame the boy, but it still hurt to watch a child half driven mad with grief. Percy didn't know where Nico would go, but he could only hope the half-sister he had left would be able to find him.

Which brought up the question of Lexi.

Percy hadn't seen her in weeks, and that was seriously unusual for Lexi. As far as his knowledge went, she was safe, because she had made time to talk to Bianca. And he didn't think she could really still be mad at him. He didn't doubt she'd been tracking their entire quest, and who was to say she didn't have a Nico-esque reaction to Bianca's death? Lexi was an emotional creature, one no one could quite understand. And she'd had a rough life. He didn't like the idea of her losing it, even for a short time period.

He didn't like the idea of losing her, either. He needed someone to talk to, and Lexi would be just the person to make sense of Zoë's words. Annabeth would have something to say about it as well, and he ached to tell her. It actually kind of scared him. He hadn't expected to grow so close to her, and he hadn't even realized it was happening. It was just the sort of thing that crept up on him, and he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. After all, he was lying to her, and he had been since day one. Maybe she'd never even really met him_. _

Or maybe he was just changing.


	10. Word Vomit

**Aurelia: **Soon enough for you? Probably not but I've given up on promising "soon." Happy to make you happy.

**AReaderNotAWriter: **Thank you, darling ;) As I've said so many times before, I cannot promise soon. Like, at all. It's just impossibleish for me. Anyway I write oftenish so I can promise you soon_er _than last time. I hope you find this story again if you really are anticipating it so much... I always wonder how you can read the new chapters if you don't have an account...**Daughter of Chaos 98: **No not really seeing as I explained it all in the author's note. SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT READING, SOMETIMES THEY'RE IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW. Oh, oops, June is over. Sorry there.

**megan: **Thanks ;) So I know my updates are kind of spastic, but you should stick around, yes?

**Guest: **HAHA, funny story. I started rewriting and I still haven't finished. So the ones that say **[Edited *insert date*] **at the bottom are in past tense, plus the most recent one. So I'll have to ask you to kinda disregard the awkward layout. Thanks :) I'M SORRY GUEST. PLEASE GET A NAME SO I CAN CALL YOU BY IT. AND ALSO YOU BROUGHT ME TO 400 SO NOW I LOVE YOU. i'm also apparently feeling a bit capsy today. i dunno man it's addicting.

**Uberswifthammer: **sigh. Y'all really are sick of Percabeth, aren't you? WELL I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I'M NOT, OKAY?!

* * *

**Note: **Hey so I got bored of typing up 30+ replies at the same time. Anons only, from now on.

and also i should stop making promises i can't keep because i suck at updating and you guys are awesome and i love you asdfghjkl

I have been writing like a mad woman to get this up before tomorrow, because it's August 18 and I really really just needed to post something. and i am excited about this chapter because i've been wanting to write it for too long.

Anyway.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PERCY AND FULL SPEED AHEAD

* * *

_Chapter Nine: Word Vomit_

The ceiling was leaking again.

None of the students spared a glance; perhaps they were used to it by now. This classroom _always _leaked. Still. Percy had enough trouble concentrating in general, and with each droplet he flinched. He'd sworn not to mess with the pipes this year, though.

His mom had gone and lectured him about how she was tired of searching for schools and she "knew he could be better." He wondered what had set her off; she wasn't usually so concerned, but her point still stood. He hated disappointing her, even when it meant fighting a losing battle.

Percy forced his attention back on the teacher. Mrs. Pepper was a spindly woman with frizzy, graying hair and spectacles pushed comically far down her nose. She was sweet enough, but terribly boring, and would have done much better as a nanny than a science teacher.

To be honest, Percy couldn't have even told you what science he was taking this year.

_Drip. Drip._

Percy cringed.

_Drip. Drip._

He flattened his palm against the wood of his desk and slowly curled his fingers inward, forming a fist. The pipes shuddered and groaned. The teacher paused her monologue to nervously scan the ceiling tiles.

"Oh dear," Mrs. Pepper mumbled in her soprano voice. The students stared at her blankly, some rolled their eyes. Like she could still pretend the school wasn't falling apart.

Percy tightened his hand, pressing his fingertips into his palm. A hissing noise came from one of the pipes.

"I think I'll call the janitor!" Mrs. Pepper sang, rushing towards the phone and walking only on the balls of her feet. Percy had never seen anyone with such a strange gait, and she was often mocked outside the classroom.

Percy sighed. He knew he couldn't just go around bursting pipes whenever he was bored, but Mrs. Pepper's lectures made it tempting. It didn't help that the nymphs taunted him from the windows. Reluctantly, Percy opened his palm and the noise abruptly stopped.

Mercifully, the bell rang.

Percy regarded the hallways and other students with a venomous glare. He hated, _hated _school. There were so many better things he could have done with his time: better people to socialize with, better teachers to listen to, more important things to learn. And, of course, he could also be saving the world _right at that very moment._

Sickened him. It _sickened him._

It didn't help that he had English next period. The exit was looking very tempting.

At the end of the hall, a figure with a hood and very _familiar _combat boots leaned against a row of lockers. Without hesitation, Percy approached her.

"Y'know," he began, "for someone who hates it when people stare at them, you sure make it tempting."

The person giggled and pushed the hood back from her face, revealing big eyes and a wide smile. Before Percy could respond, Lexi tackled him with a hug. "Long time no see!"

Lexi skip-hopped down the hallway and slammed her arm against the door. "Come _on!" _she urged him, gesturing wildly to the outdoors. A gust of bitter wind tore through the hall, and Percy was painfully reminded how _thin _his coat was. His mother would never let him hear the end of it if he walked into his apartment with his teeth chattering.

He rubbed his arms and followed Lexi out the door.

Ice and slush coated the ground, leftover from the blizzard last week. People tightly bundled hurried down the walk, scarves around their faces and hands shoved into their coats. That January had been record-breakingly cold. Schools were closed nearly every other day, and sick snowstorms knocked the power out for days on end.

In short, it had been miserable. Car accident rates soared, and New York City had never looked so empty before. Only the children enjoyed themselves; noses pressed against the frosty window panes, scratching shapes in the ice.

Lexi continued to dance down the sidewalk to a beat only she could hear. She traveled several yards ahead of Percy, yelling at him every five seconds to hurry up. He ignored her. He had never really minded the cold, but Lexi was _immune _to it.

Finally, Lexi huffed exasperatedly and stomped her foot. Her breath came in short clouds as she tapped her foot, waiting. Percy continued plodding along until he reached her. She slowed her pace and they walked side by side in silence.

Lexi skipped to a silver car parked in an illegal spot outside Percy's apartment building. She hoisted herself up onto the hood and tapped it affectionately. "My mother's," she said, as though that was a proper explanation. She rolled her eyes and Percy's disapproving expression. "What, like you've never driven a car before?"

"Point taken," he mumbled, trudging through the snow.

Percy curled his arms closer to his body and fought a shiver. He leaned back against the hood of the car and sighed, long wisps of frost curling out in front of him. "You've been gone awhile," he breathed.

Lexi turned her head into the wind. A gust rippled through her mussed curls and licked the edges of her cheeks. She moistened her lips, red and chapped from the cold, and shrugged. "Guess I needed _'_awhile._'_"

An olive-toned hand emerged from her pocket and stretched down to brush the ice clustered on the hood. Lexi's finger, complete with slick black nail polish, pierced through the frigid coating. Her finger looped and twisted haphazardly until she connected the letters, forming her name spelled out in script: Alexandra. She gazed down at it, frowned, and dragged her nails through it.

"I was finally gonna have a sister," she deadpanned. "A real sister. She was my age, too, give or take the time-warp."

"You would've had to tell her everything," Percy reasoned lightly, pointlessly, because the _point _was Bianca was dead and secrets didn't matter to her anymore.

"No," Lexi countered in a trembling voice Percy had never heard before. "no, I would've taken her to Lupa. And she would have trained. And been accepted. And lived."

"Lexi—"

"Do you know where she was born?" Lexi plowed on. "Rome. She was born in 1937 Rome. Her mother—an Italian beauty, a soap star. Twenty-two. Rich. Disgustingly rich. She's no _graecus._" She laughed humorlessly. "Now Nico—Nico is a different matter. Well I'm not sure where that kid belongs. If he belongs anywhere. He's no one's child."

"Maybe not," Percy agreed. "but he's someone's brother."

"Oh, and I'm someone's sister. But maybe not his." She cracked an icicle that hung off the front of the car. "Maybe I'm her's. Or maybe yours."

"What do you mean—"

"I don't know, okay?" Lexi shrieked. She dug her fingernails into her palm and smashed her fist on the car. The ice shattered up the middle and slid off the sides. "She was there, and then she was gone, and I'm still here and so is Nico!"

She sank down to the sidewalk, shaking. She pounded her fist weakly against the car. "I'm still here," she mumbled numbly.

Percy crouched near her. Lexi was a hysterical person; even a drama queen, but he'd never seen her like this before. She was always so strong; so fluid and easy.

"Are you saying that's a bad thing?"

Lexi stared forward angrily. "No."

He shifted his weight and swung his legs out in front of him, sitting next to her and ignoring how cold the sidewalk was. "So maybe you should do something about it."

Lexi pulled the fabric of her sweatshirt over the palm of her hand and wiped her face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I guess I'm not really one to talk," Percy shrugged, "but it seems like Bianca's beyond saving."

"Yeah, that's sort of my point," she grumbled bitterly.

"But Nico isn't."

Lexi crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah," she replied simply.

Percy moved the slush on the street around with his sneaker. Lexi had to be the most complicated human being on earth. Actually, he decided, Annabeth held that spot. But still. He never knew exactly how to handle her. She would either shriek and jump for joy, or punch you right in the face. So he opted for silence.

It seemed like he made the right choice.

**. . .**

The Labyrinth utterly sucked.

Percy wasn't sure what Annabeth had been expecting—or what he'd been expecting—but he could tell it wasn't this when Annabeth threw the "map" on the floor and stomped on it.

Annabeth gritted her teeth and trudged off down one of the tunnels, barking at them to follow. The boys scurried behind her. None of them wanted to risk getting separated. The Maze might be less dangerous alone, but it was way more frightening.

After aimless stumbling down the dark steel tunnel, it opened into a wide room. Percy recognized the pictures on the walls from lessons with Marcus, one of the lares. They were ancient Roman mosaics, as Marcus had insisted were Rome's pride and joy. Percy completed doubted that, but you learned after awhile that it never payed to argue with a lares.

The strangled noise Grover made in his throat alerted Percy to the figure standing on the far side of the room, just past the fountain. Two enormous wooden doors heavily bolted with gold locks loomed behind him, and he stood between them, one face grinning and the other frowning.

"Janus," Percy mumbled. Janus might have been Roman, but Percy didn't know of anyone that respected him. He was coy and elusive, a trickster, a liar and a cheat. He was more of a less of a god than a bully, and less of a bully than a loser.

Still, you had to be careful around him. He knew his trade well and he executed his tasks with sick glee. It was wise to stay off his Bad List.

Percy had never witnessed Annabeth at such a loss for words.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the room lit and shimmered, revealing the lovely Juno-Hera. Percy groaned aloud, making no effort to disguise his distaste. She smiled like the Cheshire cat, and his heart dropped into his stomach.

He'd never talked to her with other people around before, he realized suddenly.

"You must be hungry!" Juno-Hera sang. "Sit with me and talk."

She waved her hand and platters upon platters of food appeared on an elegant marble table. If he'd been hungry before, he had lost his appetite. None of the others seemed to be having the same problem, however.

Percy watched Juno-Hera and Annabeth like a tennis match. For whatever reason, seeing them together made him sick to his stomach.

"The means is already within your grasp," Juno-Hera—Percy assumed she really must be full Hera this time, but he couldn't tell anymore—continued, turning to smile at him. The smile had a biting edge, however.

Percy waited for Annabeth to respond, but she sat rigid next to him. He turned to Tyson and Grover and found them staring at Juno-Hera with the same glassy-eyed expression, a fifth peanut-butter sandwich halfway raised to Tyson's mouth.

The smile melted off Juno-Hera's face. "I told you," she spoke in a tight, clipped tone, "to stay away from her."

"What does that even _mean?" _Percy snapped angrily. Her crap was hardly tolerable. He despised every moment spent talking to her, every moment wasted trying to untangle her riddles. She spoke in circles. Just like the Labyrinth, there was no sense to her actions.

"It means you don't go on quests with her and console her when she's crying and you leave her emotional problems to _herself!" _she shrieked.

"That's _not _what you said—"

"No," she shouted, "I _said _if it became a problem we would discuss it in greater length."

"So _why _are you yelling at me?"

Juno-Hera flickered with silver light. A dark cloak fell over her shoulders and a hood settled just over her eyes. She leaned in closer and lowered her voice to a dangerous murmur. "I do not have time for you and your teenage drama. _Stay away from her._ Test me on this, and just watch what will happen."

She backed up and shivered out of the black cloak, plastering a sunny smile back on her face. "Percy knows the answer," she said. For a moment, he thought she'd finally lost it for good, until Annabeth spoke again.

Their discussion was over.

**. . .**

Percy rolled over, using a ridiculous effort to attempt to sit up.

_Ow._

He gave in to his throbbing muscles and settled back into the bed.

The mysterious bed that he did not recognize inside the mysterious cave that he also definitely did not recognize.

Hmm.

Percy struggled to scan his surroundings without moving too much. The nearest he could figure, he'd washed up on some kind of... island. His tattered, blood-stained clothes had been replaced by simple, white sweats, and his skin bore a new mass of scars. He sighed as the images flooded through his mind again. He must have been here for days already.

Squelching his body's protests he slid out of the sheets. The cave was completely made of rock, but not the natural kind you would see in the mortal world. He probably should have expected this; it was too much to hope he could have washed up on a _normal _island.

He breathed heavily and inched forward, shivering at his reflection when he passed the mirror.

He had to admit: it was beautiful. White sand beaches and crystal blue waters that you just didn't _see _in the natural world. Flowers and trees grew everywhere, species that shouldn't have been able to live in the same land, but the climate of the island suited each life form perfectly. The land practically hummed with magic.

Percy squinted against the sunlight and raised his hand over his eyes. A girl, maybe sixteen or seventeen, sat tending a group of vibrant orange flowers. He approached her cautiously; one could never know what to expect on a magical island.

It didn't take long to sort things out.

He knew Juno-Hera must have sent him to Ogygia; although _why, _he was still unclear about. Maybe it had been to save his life; she wouldn't want her precious _plan _to fall apart. Or maybe it served as her punishment; she had dumped him here to spite him, as if the kiss had been _his _doing.

The kiss. _Her _kiss and why did she kiss him why would she _do _that—

He swore he could still feel it.

Still, with all the circles his mind ran in and all the worries about the outside world, it was difficult not to relax. Calypso was easy to talk to; intriguing, even.

She said Hermes had told her of Rome, although she'd never met a Roman herself. He told her stories, of Reyna and Jason and his friends that he _missed _and wouldn't be able to sail back to. He couldn't help but think she was the first person he'd met in the last few years that he'd been completely honest with.

Leaving was difficult, sure, but leaving was one of those things he did best.

**. . .**

"Knock knock?" Percy asked cautiously, stepping through the cabin door. He was greeted with a murderous glare, complete with bloodshot eyes.

"What." she growled.

He ignored her standoffish posture and took a seat on her bed. Annabeth stared forward stubbornly.

"So you're still pissed then," he said simply. He let the statement hang in the air, waiting to see if she would take a bite out of it. She didn't, so he kept going, "Y'know, I really don't get it. I mean, you're a smart person. Don't you get that this is the only way it's going to work? We need her help."

"Of course I _get _that!" Annabeth snapped.

"So why are you taking it out on me?"

Annabeth stood up quickly and hit the floor with so much force the shelves rattled. "This—it's not about the stupid quest!" she shrieked. "You just... you just think you can leave and then come back whenever you want! It doesn't _work _that way, okay?"

"You make it sound like I had a choice," Percy replied coolly. He was surprised by his own tone. He had never been good at controlling his emotions, but his words didn't sound bitter or angry.

"You _always _have a choice," Annabeth hissed, clenching and un-clenching her fists.

"You're right," Percy whispered. His fingertips tingled and something—an emotion he could never place—churned in his stomach.

Annabeth stared at him like he was crazy, and maybe he was, but it didn't even matter anymore. The past few years he had weighed his opinion, his will second to Juno's. He had accepted that her will would play out no matter what he did, and perhaps part of that was true, but that didn't mean he couldn't try. And why shouldn't he? Percy knew Juno would never really harm him—he was too valuable. He couldn't know if his actions would make a difference, but that was just it: nothing was certain, so why shouldn't he at least try and change things?

Percy had made a lot of choices—maybe the wrong ones, but they were still his. His to make, his to change. Maybe if he'd told the raft to sail to the Little Tiber, he would be with his friends now. And maybe if he wanted to tell them everything, maybe he could've.

He should at least try.

"You're so right," he said, a little louder, a little more sure this time.

"I know," Annabeth continued slowly, looking at him strangely.

The feeling in the pit of his stomach bubbled and rose. It crawled up his throat and halted just inside his mouth, just on the tip of his tongue.

Maybe it was just time to let it out.

"Percy, are you okay—"

"There's a lot about me you don't know," he blurted out.

Annabeth blinked. "Um, okay. But what does that have to do with—"

"Like, a lot. I've lied to you. A lot."

Her face shifted between shock, confusion, and even a little worry, like she wasn't sure what she should be feeling. Her mouth opened and closed a few times while she tried to decide how to respond: ask for clarification or drag him to the infirmary.

"I'm not Greek," he admitted abruptly. He could hardly believe the words coming out of his mouth. And now that he'd told her, he knew he couldn't stop them. They just came tumbling out, explaining _everything _in more detail than he ever thought he was capable of.

Percy just talked, and Annabeth listened, barely even moving. It was okay, though, because her response wouldn't sway him, no matter what it was. He blew past the Underworld and the Sea of Monsters, filling in the gaps that he'd worked so hard to keep secret. He told her about Nico and Bianca and what Lexi thought of the whole thing, and that he'd seen Riley at the Hoover Dam and what her mother had told him and about the connection between Jason and Thalia and how guilty he felt about it.

When he finished, she pressed her fingers to her temples and shook her head. "This—this is _crazy, _do you know that?"

"Yeah," he answered honestly, almost laughing. This was so completely against _everything _he was supposed to be doing.

"You're telling me there's... Romans?" Annabeth practically squeaked. "And you're one of them?"

"That's right," Percy nodded.

"I didn't know you were such a good liar," she mumbled.

He really did laugh this time. "I thought you'd be like... mad."

"Maybe I should be," she shrugged. "but... I'm not. I mean, I... get it."

She couldn't possibly. But he knew what she meant.

"Well... if you're not mad... then there's more," Percy told her.

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "There's more? How could there possibly be more?"

He was having trouble believing it himself. He had just unloaded fourteen years worth of the truth and still had more to say. "In the Labyrinth, when Juno showed up..." he started, but the words weren't coming so easily now, "she kind of told me to stay away from you."

Annabeth frowned and mentally ran through the conversation. "When?"

"She kind of... froze you," he told her sheepishly.

_"Excuse me?"_

"Yeah she's kind of a bitch that way," he said quickly. No thunder came, which might be for better or it might be for worse. He knew he wouldn't have to wait very long to find out; no doubt she was furious. "I guess... I don't know, I guess she was afraid of this happening. And maybe she thought if she kept us apart that it would prevent it."

"But you didn't listen to her," Annabeth mumbled. Percy realized that sometime while he'd been talking she'd sat back down on the bed. Their legs were touching.

"I didn't want to," he breathed. They were close, like _really _close. "I don't think I could even if I wanted to."

Annabeth studied him critically, but a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "What's that supposed to mean, Seaweed Brain?"

What even did it mean? He wasn't sure, he just knew that it was true.

She was still so _close. _Was she getting closer?

Before his thoughts caught up to his movements he leaned in and kissed her.

Annabeth's siblings came back from the bonfire they'd happily missed too soon, but luckily they avoided any awkward run-ins.

Percy slept soundly for the first time he could remember.


End file.
